Dear Friends
Guy Christian Salon turned 18 this year — old enough to vote (and to drink… and she would have needed one this year).
If she had made it to the polling booth, I’m fairly sure she’d have voted for a VAT reduction for our sector to make tax more manageable, or a lower VAT threshold to level the playing field between the employed and self-employed markets. Sadly, she didn’t survive long enough to see the changes she would’ve needed to keep going.
Over the last 18 years, our industry has shifted beyond recognition. Around 75% of qualified stylists now work self-employed, leaving salons like mine struggling to attract skilled, long-term professionals to look after our wonderful clients. The ripple effect of this has been fewer apprenticeships, pushing young people through college routes — and historically, colleges haven’t been able to produce industry-ready hairdressers. Unfortunately, that still hasn’t changed.
I could have kept pushing for a few more months, pretending we’d somehow find two or three high-quality stylists out of thin air. But deep down I knew it wasn’t realistic. Rather than build up a mountain of debt and lose even more sleep, I’ve made the hardest but most sensible decision of my career: Guy Christian Salon will close its doors for the last time on 23rd December 2025.
Salon ownership has been part of my identity since I was an apprentice 30 years ago. I watched my boss, Andrew Price, build his salon empire and I knew I wanted to do the same — and for a long time, I did. What I couldn’t have predicted was the fallout from Covid and how fundamentally it would reshape our industry.
Yes, I could have pivoted to a rent-a-chair model, but that would’ve meant giving up control of the brand I’ve protected so fiercely for 18 years. That was never something I was prepared to do.
It’s been a terrific journey — one that’s created friendships, launched careers, witnessed weddings, babies, celebrations and stories I’ll cherish forever. And of course, I’ll never stop being grateful for the thousands of loyal clients who supported us year after year.
To say this leaves me lost and devastated is an understatement. But I’m also strangely ready for whatever the universe has planned next.
For now, you’ll be able to find me and the team at Ken Picton Salon and we would truly appreciate your support as we begin this next chapter and create a new home from home.
Big Love, as always
Christian