Northamptonshire spa owner uses own savings to bail out business during lockdown to honour mum's wish

In 2006, Georgina dropped her plans to go to university after 'falling in love' and decided to study beauty therapy at college instead.

After getting her qualifications and dipping her toe in the industry for two years, she joined forces with her hairdresser mum and the pair opened a salon, Just 4 You Beauty and Hair, in Potterspury.

After five years of working as a pair - specialising in bridal packages - her mum was diagnosed with cancer in September 2012 and passed away just after Christmas.

"The only thing she wanted was for me to continue forward with the business and achieve the joint dream of a day spa," Georgina said. "I went back to work a week after she died.

"I started employing staff to try and make things work and not to lose everything we had worked for."

In 2015, Georgina launched Grafton Spa & Wellness and now employs ten members of staff who have won a handful of local awards for the standard of service they provide.

After overcoming a number of obstacles in her personal and professional life she thought her business was back on track until Boris Johnson announced the lockdown on March 23.

"When Boris spoke those words I was absolutely devastated," Georgina added.

"My whole livelihood I had spent nearly 15 years building was forced to close but obviously the safety and health of our clients has always come first.

"For some of my team they are financially dependant on their job, so I was also worried about all of them as well.

"For me personally I had to subsidise the business with my own savings and I didn’t pay myself in March as there just wasn’t enough to financially pay all the bills and the staff.

"For my employees, furloughing has been fairly straight forward and they were paid on time for the next pay day.

"Sadly the salon and the spa have a huge amount of overheads, which I had to tackle, trying to postpone, and not everyone has been understanding, they honestly think you’ve just been given 10k and that you are now rich, well that’s not the case.

"I’m not even sure that the grant is going to see us through another six to seven weeks, if I’m honest. If it's any longer we will be in trouble, lets put it like that."

After thinking the worst, former social media novice Georgina took to Facebook to try and boost the morale of her clients but little did she know eight weeks down the line she would be reaching 4,000 people with facial tutorials and giving a sense of escapism to a whole community of people.

She added: "When your client comes to see you, whether it be hair or beauty, they like to talk. Talking isn’t just about gossip it’s about releasing stress, its about reaching out to get support, coming to the salon has been an escape to some people. Especially the spa, some of those guests have been under a huge amount of stress and emotional upset.

"Salon clients who come regularly for their hair and beauty treatments, may often be lonely and need company, they might want to escape that person they are living with for a break. They might want to make themselves feel and look amazing for a special event or occasion and that gives them confidence. Generally speaking when people leave the salon or spa they are relaxed, rejuvenated, refreshed and feeling their best.

"A little bit of ‘me’ time goes along way. Some ladies come every week for a blow dry because it makes them feel great for the rest of the week. Some ladies come once a fortnight to have their nail colour changed because it makes them feel happy. People come for waxing so they feel groomed and less self-conscious. All these emotions help people with their mental health. If you feel good inside it shines through, and that is what we aim to do."