Family is overwhelmed by response from salon closure

A SAD day for the community in Firhouse as a local and popular hairdresser shuts its doors after 25 years in business.

After serving the community for the last 25 years, ‘Hair By Suzanne’ hairdressers in Firhouse announced that they are closing their doors.

Speaking with The Echo, one of the owners, Gillian, who works alongside dad Paul in the salon, said that the tough decision was made due to her father’s declining health.

“It is due to my dad’s health reasons – he has pancreatic cancer, and he is terminally ill, it is just coming to the end of his days so we just want to concentrate more on the family because the shop just takes up an awful lot of time.

“I have been working there since I was 14, and I am now 39.

“Years ago, I would have been in more of a position and would have continued it on but now I have two kids and my husband has his own business and it is just taking up too much family time.

“I am trying to look after my father and my mother, and I also have an aunt who isn’t very well who I am power of attorney for as well.

“It is a lot of commitment and the shop on top of all that, I am just not in a place to do it.”

Gillian’s father Paul made the decision to close the store with immediate effect on Sunday, July 25.

“I was a little bit shocked that he did it so suddenly, but it was something he was thinking of doing due to ill health for a while and due to Covid.

“We were having difficulties with staffing, getting people back.

“He had a very bad week healthwise and basically he shut up overnight”, says Gillian.

When the announcement about the closure was posted on Facebook, hundreds of people shared kind words and memories of the hairdressers, something which Gillian said was “overwhelming”.

“I couldn’t believe the response to it – I am quite overwhelmed by the response to it to be honest.

“I suppose you don’t realise that you have such an impact on a community until it is taken away.

“It just goes to show what a strong community Firhouse is.

“I just want to thank everyone who has got in touch with us personally and all of our clients over the years – it will be missed by us all.”