Shrewsbury salon closes 'with heavy heart' but high hopes for new business

But despite closing 'with a heavy heart', the team will continue in different ways. Milli is set to rebrand the nail side of the business – and call it Mim's Nail and Beauty Studio – and relocate to a room inside Skin Deep in Battlefield. Nikki will provide support.

And Lenny is set to launch a mobile business called Luxe Locks by Lenny.

Nikki said: "It has been a difficult time. Small businesses seem to have taken the brunt of inflation and tax-related increases over the last few years.

"It started after Covid, impacting the way we traded, with constant rises in utility and supplier costs and spiralling insurance.

"I have been fortunate to have a good landlord who understands the pressures on us small traders so have avoided any major rent increases but the coming minimum wage rise and constant regulatory changes are just too much. I have not drawn a wage for the last six months and just can’t go on.

"The industry works on very small margins. After deducting raw materials and overheads, it is barely a minimum wage but our clients have been understanding with price increases required and come to us because of the quality of our service."

Nikki, though, said that despite the sadness of closing Cowlick Hair and Beauty, she and Milli were determined not to waste their talent and passion for the industry.

"We are at a level where we have reduced our overheads and have a core customer base now," she said.

"That should allow us to generate enough to survive and do the work we are passionate about.

"Milli’s free hand nail art is often featured in a trade magazine and her talent is what attracts and maintains her customers."

Nikki started working at Skin Deep four months ago, doing administrative work, and heard of the room becoming available.

"It couldn't have come at a better time," she said. "We will share the room with Milli there five days a week and me two days.

"We will be very sad to see the hair side of our business close but Lenny will be continuing with her mobile hairdressing and many of our clients will be sticking with her, including us!"

The new business will start on Friday.

Milli added: "We're really looking forward to the new start. Skin Deep, an aesthetics clinic, also houses a lash technician (Chilli Chapel), a physiotherapist (Salop Physiotherapy) and a psychologist (Florren) so there is a lovely mixture of treatments all within one building!"

You can find out more about Milli, who specialises in intricate hand painted art and Builder Gel nails, on her Instagram page @Mims.Studio.