This salon has been crowned the best in the Portsmouth area

The World Of Beauty, in High Street, Lee-on-the-Solent, was crowned the winner of The News 'Salon of the Year' competition following a public vote.

But the salon's owner Serena Mellish didn't even realise they had been nominated for the award at first.

She said: 'I am very excited to have won this award, I am very pleased. We didn't even know we were in the competition at first.

'That was a lovely surprise.

'We got the phone call the other week to say that we won, it was very exciting.

'We have been here for nearly 20 years, so it is a nice way to round that off.'

Mrs Mellish, 42, thanked her customers for helping her win the award saying that it 'means a lot'.

She added: 'This is nice because we were nominated, we didn't put ourself up, and this means more to me.

'What is lovely about this is people have taken the time to vote for us, that is what means more to me, it is not just someone in the industry choosing us.

'I think that speaks volumes that they have taken the time out to vote, it means a lot.'

Mrs Mellish puts the salon's award victory down to the wide selection of nails as well as its loyal and chatty customers.

She explained: 'We have a very chatty atmosphere, ladies sit and talk while waiting to get their hair done.

'I would think that we do a good job as well.'

To celebrate the salon's 20th year in business, Mrs Mellish will be running a special one day event on January 17, 2019 with prices set to be half the usual cost. 

She added: 'There will be a lot of balloons. I started out working on the cruises before I set up the salon.

'I have got one girl who has been here for 16 years, and two others who have been here since the start of the year, so it is a bit like a family.' 

A total of ten salons were nominated for '˜Salon of the Year', including: Affinity Beauty Salon, Gosport, Beautilicious Hair & Beauty, Gosport, Bliss Beauty Care, Portsmouth, Diamond Quay Hair & Beauty, Fareham, Green Mango, Southsea, Molly Caswell, Portsmouth, The Beauty Clinic, Southsea, The Hair & Beauty Studio, Gosport, The Walled Garden, Fareham.