Surelock Homes and Spruce Springclean among 'wittiest' shop names in UK, poll claims

Many claim they are more likely to recommend a business with a witty name

The Chopfather barbers also ranked high (Google)

Surelock Homes, Planet of the Grapes and Spruce Springclean have been found to be some of the "wittiest" names for businesses in Britain, according to a poll.

A poll of 2,000 adults asked people to nominate their favourite pun-based company names, with results including a barbers named The Chopfather and a coffee shop titled Deja Brew.

An earlier survey found that 79 per cent of those polled said a business name helps express its personality and branding.

In the same poll, 43 per cent claimed they are more likely to recommend a business with a witty name, compared to one with a more traditional moniker.

Lisa Jacobs, UK managing director at SME lending platform Funding Circle, which commissioned the research said: “It’s great how small businesses bring their characters and personalities through with these imaginative names whilst also brightening up our days with a laugh or chuckle.

“Business doesn’t have to be all serious. A play on words allows businesses to stand out from the crowd, attract customers and convey a bit of their sense of humour.”

Alan Collins, owner of Spruce Springclean, a carpet cleaner in Cornwall, said: “The name came about in the Eighties when I bought my first van.

“I thought I should come up with a name for my business and I was on my way to a friend's house to discuss it with him.

“On the way I heard a record on the radio and the disc jockey said it was by Bruce Springsteen, but I misheard him and thought he said Spruce Springclean.

“I mentioned it to my friend and he loved it, so it kind of stuck.

“I'm semi-retired now but most of my business still comes from the name, it brings a lot of laughs to people.”

The research also found that 48 per cent of people in Britain believe a witty or memorable business name is more likely to make them use that company over a similar one.

Paul Tribouillard, owner of Surelock Homes, said: “We've been around for a while now but we still get comments about our name.

“It was my friend who came up with it, he used to own the company. I don't know how he came up with it, just made it up I suppose.

“We were on the radio on a show about the best business names, we came runner up.

“I'm glad that people enjoy it, we get a lot of laughs about it.”

Other memorable shop names in the UK that featured in the poll include a solicitors from Leamington Spa with the fortuitous name Wright-Hassall and Bonnie Tiler, a female-fronted tiling and plumbing company based in Gateshead in the northwest.

More than half of those polled via OnePoll said they would prefer to see more businesses embrace a quirky name.

SWNS