Business owner 'absolutely ecstatic' after winning Northampton Salon of the Year award

Boss Mel Riley proudly accepted the award on behalf of her eight members of staff at their shop in Billing Aquadrome this week.

She said: “I’m absolutely ecstatic that we’ve won. Me and my son cried when we found out the news.

“It’s a bit emotional for us.” Mel launched her business at Billing Garden Centre, in a hut, in 2009, where she stayed for four years before taking on her site in Billing Aquadrome where she’s stayed for the past six years.

The latter salon is labour of love she and her late dad, Kelvin, transformed from a former arcade into a haven for her customers at Serene.

“My dad helped me get the decorating done and when he retired he used to sit in here and talk to the ladies. He used to say to them ‘don’t you look lovely today’?”

As well as cutting hair the salon also specialises in podiatry, barbering, tattooing, massaging, micro-blading, sunbeds, beauty and aesthetics.

Mel said: “It’s so personal that the customers have gone to the effort to vote for my business. It’s really nice. A lot of my customers, they have been with me when I first started off as a little hut at the garden centre, so they have seen me expand.

“It’s almost like they have been on the entire journey with me.”

Over 10 ten years in business, Mel and her staff have not only helped to change people’s appearances but they have helped to change lives too. After a nearby caravan on the park burned down staff raised £700 in cash for the victim and donated clothes, kitchenware and children’s toys to get them by.