A SHREWSBURY-based entrepreneur who appeared on Dragons’ Den hopes to open a centre in Shrewsbury.

Alan Sharrock, owner of Miruji Health and Wellbeing, demonstrated his ‘therapeutic wellbeing’ chairs in the first episode of the ninth series of the BBC2 show on Sunday, July 30.

Alan said the chair “combines the health benefits of massage with powerful mind-coaching audios,” and wanted investment to open health spas in health clubs and in the high street.

Theo Paphitis and Peter Jones enjoyed trying the chairs out, but the Dragons didn’t invest. Duncan Bannatyne was sceptical about the concept and Alan received a dressing down from new dragon Hilary Devey over not having figures to hand.

“I thought it was going quite well at first,” said Alan, “but obviously it wasn’t going quite as well as I thought it was going. I was trying to answer their questions as honestly as I could. Clearly I didn’t do as well as I could have done.”

However, Alan says he is determined to prove it will be a success and has contract offers from some of the UK’s largest leisure companies.

His aim is to have a stand-alone facility in every town high street with the first one due to open in Shrewsbury on August 15.

The massage chairs have NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) audio programmes developed by hypnotherapist and mind coach Trianne Croshaw that sitters listen to while relaxing to help slim, quit smoking, de-stress and sleep as well as promote well being, motivation and energy.

Alan added: “The dragons were extremely sceptical which I suppose is understandable but now we have the medical proof that sit and slim works. I’m looking forward to proving to the dragons that they should have invested in me.”

He said research carried out at Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust’s Hellesdon Hospital found 60 per cent of people who undertook the three month Sit & Slim trial lost weight and recorded lower blood pressure, while 44 per cent felt a significant improvement in their self-esteem.

For more information contact 0800 3317738 or visit the website www.sitandslim.co.uk.