Beauty salon in Lee-on-the-Solent parties like it’s 1999 – and drops its prices to match

World of Beauty, in High Street, Lee-on-the-Solent, marked their business milestone by offering treatments at the same prices as they were in 1999 when they first opened. 

It was a fun-filled day with cakes, bubbles and balloons to thank long-standing customers. 

Serena Mellish, from Warsash, owns the salon. She took over the premises from the previous occupiers who ran it as a toning studio and turned it into the popular salon it is today. 

Serena said: ‘Treatments have changed quite a lot since then. We have always been known for our nails, but gel polish has become part of people’s routines. 

‘Beauty has also become part of people’s everyday routines. 

‘As a business, you go through a recession and think that it will be the first thing to go but people are reluctant to give up their “me time”. 

‘We keep our prices reasonable in order to compete with the other salons around here - and we have some long-standing customers who keep coming back to us.’ 

Serena started the business when she was 22, helped by her father Roger Macgregor. 

Serena had done hair and beauty training at Fareham College before working onboard a cruise ship. 

The 42-year-old said: ‘When I came home I literally slept for a week and then stepped into World of Beauty. It was all systems go. 

‘Working on the cruise ship certainly taught me how to work.’ 

Today Serena has three staff members working with her – Donna Edward, Jane Buttriss and Michelle Farmer, who has worked at the salon for 16 years. 

They have a solid client base and have built an excellent reputation, which saw them named as Salon of the Year by The News last year, something that Serena puts down to their friendly atmosphere and excellent team work. 

She said: ‘It is special. It is a very friendly atmosphere – that’s what makes us different. Our customers love coming in here as they can relax and we all have fun together.’ 

Serena said she was proud to have made two decades in business. 

The mum-of two said: ‘I never thought that after 20 years I would still be here. I thought I would give it a go and see how it goes. Hopefully I will be here in another 20 years.’