A pioneering new hair and beauty salon opened for business today (2nd January), shunning the traditional town centre location for the heart of one of Newbury’s busiest business areas.

Pebbles Unisex Hair & Beauty in Faraday Road aims to put customer service above pretentious posturing; Pebbles combines the talents of some of the best hair stylists in Newbury with the most modern and spacious salon facilities to create a welcome escape from the hustle and bustle of the town centre.

With a Cutting Bar and fully staffed reception downstairs and a spacious salon and treatment rooms spread over the first floor, no expense has been spared in the new business venture from husband and wife team Steve and Theresa Fish.

The couple previously owned Harpers Hair & Beauty in Market Street, Newbury, but the small size of the salon and lack of parking did not justify the investment the premises required, but now the salon has been reborn as Pebbles in the vacant premises adjacent and above Steve Fish’s other business, the One Stop Service Centre.

He commented: “We were already encouraging One Stop clients to visit Harpers and similarly salon customers were bringing their cars here. With the move we could justify the investment in new equipment and expand our services, together with recruiting additional members of staff too.

“The majority of clients who used to visit Harpers have already booked appointments here at Pebbles and the ones who have been in today have been lovely, bringing cards and telling us how fabulous the new salon is, not to mention how much easier it is to park now we are away from the town centre, especially with the work starting on the new cinema opposite what was Harpers.

“We’ve also had bookings from lots of new customers and from people working at neighbouring businesses in Faraday Road.

“Harpers was open up until Christmas so we had to work hard over the middle week to be able to open the salon today; we were even taking bookings during the move.”