A Panmurefield salon has announced that it will be closing down after 14 years due to increasing costs.
Bladez Hair and Beauty Salon, which is located on Lawers Drive, will close permanently at the end of March.
Owner Karen Ward announced the decision via a post on Facebook, blaming a constant rise in the cost of running a business.
She told The Courier: “I don’t feel great about it.
“I’ve had the salon for 14 years so it’s been a long time.
“We’ve built a rapport with our neighbours, we’ve seen customers get married and get pregnant and then bring their kids to the salon.
“I want to say how much I appreciate the staff and the clients that have supported us, not just me but all of us, through the past 14 years.”
‘A lot of small businesses must be in the same position’
The businesswoman says the cost of living crisis and the fallout from Covid have made it impossible to keep the salon afloat.
She added: “A lot of small businesses must be in the same position.
“We’ve probably never recovered from Covid.
“Even after lockdown we had restrictions in place, so even though we were busy it wasn’t really the same as before.
“Since then we haven’t really been able to build anything up. Everything that comes in just goes back out.
“With the cost of utility bills rising, people are spending less. They’re maybe waiting longer between appointments, or maybe just coming in for a smaller appointment or treatment.
“Our bills are going up too and if we increase our prices we lose customers because people don’t have the money.”
According to Karen, staff at Bladez are now looking for employment elsewhere.
She added: “At the end of the day, I was concerned about our staff and wanted to give them as much notice as possible.
“I didn’t want to get to a point where I just can’t open the doors one day.”
Local support
The salon has being running in Panmurefield for almost a decade and a half, and the closure has been met with disappointment and sympathy from customers.
A Facebook user commented: “So sorry to hear this.
“Thank you for all your hard work over the years.
“Wishing all of you the very best in the your next chapters.”
Another added: “So sad that Bladez is going.
“Sincerely hope that things work out well for all of you.
“Such a great hairdressers’ with fun chat.
“Always love a visit.”
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