The #LastMinList

textured-hair.co.uk

Supporting Nottingham's Neighbourhoods and Independent Businesses

How #LastMinList can support local hair businesses, improve access to specialist services and contribute to Nottingham's economic priorities.

1. The opportunity in Nottingham

Nottingham has the third-highest proportion of Black residents among England's major Core Cities, behind Manchester and Birmingham. Including people of mixed Black heritage, the city has 44,473 Black and mixed-Black residents (13.7%), a population that grew by 22.3% between 2011 and 2021. Communities are particularly concentrated in St Ann's, Radford, Bestwood and Aspley.

The hair and beauty industry is dominated by small businesses. Across the UK, 81% of registered businesses employ fewer than five people. National research found that 45% of beauty salons in areas with larger Black populations closed within three years, compared with 32% in predominantly White areas.

Nottingham City Council's 2025–29 plan identifies supporting local businesses, strengthening neighbourhoods, economic growth and fairness as priorities. Specialist Black hair services are one area where these priorities meet.

2. What TEXTURED's research has found

In November 2026, a search for braids or cornrows in Nottingham took 120 screen actions to find an appointment available within 48 hours. The first match was an £80 French curls appointment. It was found but never booked.

Checks of Treatwell, Booksy and Fresha showed similar difficulties. Searches for Fulani and knotless braids returned missing, poorly matched or geographically irrelevant results.

There is also an opportunity for hairdressers. TEXTURED booking records show:

Open diary time: almost a third (32%) of working hours still available at the start of an observed 48-hour window.

Short-notice demand: 406 appointments, £18,165 in listed prices booked within 48 hours of start time.

By service type: short-notice share varies sharply — about 5% for knotless braids versus about 48% for wig maintenance.

Live inventory: an earlier 48-hour snapshot found 121 available appointment options via connected calendars.

TEXTURED has also mapped advertised UK specialist menus at scale — braids, cornrows, wigs and related services — to understand what is offered versus what customers can actually find and book.

Two problems stand out for Nottingham: how customers find specialist services, and how independent hairdressers sell available appointment time.

3. What #LastMinList could deliver

#LastMinList connects to hairdressers' existing booking calendars and shows appointments available within the next 48 hours. Customers search for a service and book directly with the professional.

Supporting local businesses: help hairdressers fill appointments, earn more from open hours and use diary time better.

Empowering neighbourhoods: make specialist services from local professionals easier to find and book.

Fairness and economic growth: improve visibility of Black hair businesses and produce evidence for support and investment.

As more Nottingham professionals connect, TEXTURED can show local services, prices, availability and booking patterns. Colleges can use this for business skills teaching; enterprise organisations and local authorities can spot gaps and target support. TEXTURED's founder has joined Nottingham College's Hair and Beauty Industry Advisory Board, a route to bring this evidence into skills and student enterprise conversations.

4. Working together

TEXTURED is seeking investment and local partners to run a campaign that onboards Nottingham hairdressers to #LastMinList — connect calendars, then introduce the service through community organisations, colleges and business networks.

Community and business partnerships — introduce hairdressers, neighbourhood organisations and outreach.

Student business education — real menus, prices and booking patterns in workshops.

Research — investigate local specialist services, pricing, booking activity and gaps.

Speaking and industry engagement — careers events, panels and economic development discussions.

Immediate ask: fund and support Nottingham hairdresser onboarding. Progress measured by professionals connected, appointments made visible, booking referrals and tracked booking value where available.

Where the figures come from

Same evidence pack as the story page — short and honest about what each number is (and is not).

Up to 90% leave: Baymard Institute — poor filters in general online shopping. Not a Black hair study.

120 actions: one Nottingham search, 2–3 Nov 2026, braids or cornrows within 48 hours. First match at action 120: French curls, Wed 4 Nov 11:00, 4 hours, £80 — found, not booked.

About 32% unsold: observed diary entering a 48-hour window: 18 scheduled hours, 5 hours 45 minutes still open. Snapshot at window open — not proof hours later expired; not the Nottingham search or the £18,165 total.

£18,165: TEXTURED connected booking histories. 406 bookings within 48 hours of the appointment equals £18,165 listed prices, not cash received. The story graphic uses the per-salon share, about £9,000. Histories differ in length — not a yearly rate.

45% versus 32% closure: NHBF / Local Data Company ethnicity report. Survival at 3 years: 55% in Black, Black British, Caribbean and African areas versus 68% in White areas. Not a Nottingham count.

44,473 / 13.7%: Census 2021 — Black, or White and Black Caribbean, or White and Black African. Population, not demand.

Platform checks: Fulani and knotless on Treatwell, Booksy and Fresha, 3 Nov 2026 — advertised services, not live openings.

81% employ fewer than five people: UK small-business structure for hair and beauty.

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