Family-run Northampton hairdressing salon celebrates 40th birthday by thanking 'wonderful' customers

Hensmans founder believes strong values of looking after clients has been the key to success
(L-R) Leah Inwood, John Hensman, Gemma Hensman and Julie Hensman from Hensmans celebrate the salon's 40th birthday(L-R) Leah Inwood, John Hensman, Gemma Hensman and Julie Hensman from Hensmans celebrate the salon's 40th birthday
(L-R) Leah Inwood, John Hensman, Gemma Hensman and Julie Hensman from Hensmans celebrate the salon's 40th birthday

The owner of a family-run Northampton hairdressers' believes keeping customers at the heart of the business has been the key to reaching their 40th anniversary.

Hensmans has been cutting hair in the town since 1980 - starting in Kingsley Park Terrace before moving to Abington Square under a few different names.

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Julie Hensman, who founded the salon with her husband John, said: "This business, that took root right in the heart of the country, stands proud and represents the very best of British hairdressing.

Leah Inwood has been working for Hensmans for 28 yearsLeah Inwood has been working for Hensmans for 28 years
Leah Inwood has been working for Hensmans for 28 years

"It holds clients at the heart of its business values and it has been unwavering in its commitment to developing the skills of the young, the career ambitions of the experienced and finds the balance between being progressive and being genuine.

"It’s shaping up to be a fabulous 40th-year thanks to our team and the wonderful people of Northampton.”

In 1980, Julie and John came to Northampton from separate London hairdressing schools and initially partnered with Michael Barry in Kingsley before moving together to Abington Square as the Hair Construction Company.

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The salon changed to Churchill’s for Men before becoming the aptly-named Changes as Michael left the business in the 1990s before finally taking on the family name in the 2000s.

The decade also saw the couple's daughter Gemma complete her hairdressing training at the Hensmans’ Academy, which she now heads up, a second Hensmans open in Milton Keynes, and the start of a collaboration with the University of Northampton's fashion department.

The previous 10 years have also been successful for Hensmans with the Abington Street salon expanding and long-serving employees taking on new roles.

Julie said: "In all of this, Gemma, John and I worked together to focus on our core family values and created a mission statement and brand mantra: ‘you at the heart of all we do,’ which cascades throughout the business."

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