Hairdressers offering 'pay what you can' to help customers who are struggling

A hair salon has found itself in the spotlight for its new scheme to tackle the cost of living crisis.

Everyone is feeling the pinch at the moment. People's salaries aren't earning them enough to afford the basic necessities, and parents all over the country are being forced to decide between feeding their children or putting the heating on.

At this troubling time financially, some businesses are taking the opportunity to lend a hand to their loyal customers, including one hairdressing salon in Shropshire.

While other beauticians across the country are upping their prices due to the surge in rent costs, Kelly Smout - owner of Hair Quarterz - is inviting her customers to take advantage of their brand new, extremely generous offer.

The salon - which Kelly opened over a decade ago - is hoping the bargain buy will provide comfort to her clients that may be struggling with the UK's current financial turmoil, as well as those suffering the annual 'January blues'.

That's why - for the first time ever - she and her staff of hairdressers and beauty experts are offering a 'pay what you can' session at the end of the month.

Between the hours of 10.00am and 1.00pm on Friday 19 January, Kelly is allowing her customers to book in and turn up for a standard 15 minute hair-cut.

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The catch? There isn't one.

The treatment will not have a set price, and those who take up the offer will have the opportunity to donate however much or little they want to a collection bucket on the way on.

This way, no customers will feel ashamed by the potentially small amount they're able to contribute to a haircut this month.

Mum-of-four Kelly, 36, opted to instil the offer after noticing how many of her loyal customers seemed downhearted about having to tighten their purse strings even further following the expensive festive season.

The month was also difficult for the business-owner herself, but Kelly wants to do something special for the customers that helped keep her livelihood afloat.

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"Very simply I have done it to try and get as many people in as we can," she told press this week.

"We have noticed, like many, since Covid it has been very hard to come back to how it was."

She continued: "This Christmas was one of the worst Christmasses we have had for late cancellations and bookings.

"Normally at Christmas we are very busy, we are on the flow and what you make at Christmas helps you through January and February, and this year it didn't happen.

"The feedback we had was people could just not afford it."

Kelly pointed out that, under financial straits, luxury services such as hair and beauty appointments are often the first to get the chop.

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"We get what it is like and everything has been going up in cost."

She added that she didn't want to see her customers lose their self-esteem if they're unable to afford a haircut.

"Having a hair cut can make you feel better, if you are going for a job interview or something it can help massively too," she explained.

"It is very informal. We will finish their hair and we will leave a bucket on the side and they can put what they want in that bucket and we move on to the next person – there is none of that awkwardness when you get to the till."

The salon star revealed that they've already received several bookings: "I think people are – not embarrassed, but they are unsure of what it is – if there is a minimum payment – and there absolutely is not."