Portsmouth beauty salon excited for reopening - and reassures customers that it's safe to return

Dolly’s Beauty, in Tangier Road, has been preparing for its reopening after lockdown for the past four months, and owners mother and daughter Paula Thompson and Courtney Pennicott say they can’t wait to welcome back their clients.

Courtney, from Copnor, said: ‘We have used the time to better the salon rather than just sitting around.

‘We have been doing online training courses and preparing.

‘We thought it was so important, so we painted the front of the shop, gave it a freshen up.

‘Everyone knows that the government gave out grants, and we wanted to make sure that we put ours back into the business.

‘It is our baby and we are looking after it.’

The business, which opened in Havant in 2014, moved to Baffins two years ago.

It offers a range of treatments, including semi-permanent makeup, advanced facials, lashes, nails, plus more.

The past year has been tough for the business, after they were forced to close under lockdown rules.

Courtney said: ‘It has been tough, mentally and financially. It has been hard going but we kept in touch with our customers on social media and they kept us going.

‘At the beginning it felt like we were on our own, as beauty salons were among the hardest hit by the rules.

‘It has been hard but we are so lucky to have so many loyal customers.’

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Courtney, who followed in her mother’s footsteps after quitting her job in a school, works alongside her mum and they also work in the shop with apprentice Bethany Nightingale.

The trio say they can’t wait to get back to doing what they love, and they reassured customers that everything is safe.

Courtney said: ‘It is safe to come in. We are still the same people behind the masks, even though they can’t see our smiles we are still just as friendly.

‘Our salon is sterile, it was before any of this, but we have put in extra measures, like hand sanitiser, masks, gloves and visors, and we can’t wait to see everybody again.

‘We are really looking forward it.’

Paula said: ‘We can’t wait to actually work again, we will love seeing our customers again and getting some normality back.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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