New hair and beauty salon opens at Newton-on-Ouse (From York Press)

New hair and beauty salon opens at Newton-on-Ouse

9:56am Thursday 3rd January 2013 in Business news By Julie Hayes, Business editor

AN ENTREPRENEUR has opened a new hair and beauty salon in a former holiday cottage at Newton-on-Ouse.

Becky Sharp, a former operations support manager for Aero at Nestlé, decided to set up Red Cherry Hair & Blossom Beauty after noticing a gap in this rural part of North Yorkshire.

Becky said: “I was sitting here one day and wanted to get my eyebrows waxed, but I realised it was a 15-mile round trip to go anywhere to get them done.

“We’re probably the first new retail business in the village for 50 to 60 years. The garage and two public houses are established and have been here a long time.”

Becky has a background in logistics, sales and marketing, and has even written the first draft of a children’s book, although she admits she has no experience in hair and beauty.

She said: “But I can manage a project and run a business. Once the idea was sown, I went with it. I was selling a house so had a little money to invest.”

Becky also had a cottage at the end of her garden at her home in Tollerton Road in the village, which she and husband Mick rented out as a holiday home, but found it was a seasonal business with energy costs increasing ever higher in the winter months.

She said: “I thought, let’s have a punt and turn it into a hair, beauty and nail salon, a one-stop shop where you can get everything done.”

Becky currently employs four part-time staff and hopes to appoint a local apprentice to train in the salon.

She said: “I rely on my staff for their expertise and professionalism for the services we provide.

“They’re the experts in what they do and I respect that and involve them in how the business should proceed and in shaping the strategy.

“It’s a happy marriage.”