More than 20 jobs created as hair and beauty salon set to open at Flemingate

An exciting new salon is set to open at Beverley’s Flemingate centre, creating more than 20 jobs and offering a bespoke hair and beauty experience for customers.

Vintage & Co is the second hair and beauty salon opened by hairdresser and barber Lee Carmichael following a successful opening in Hull’s St Stephen’s Shopping Centre last year.

It is set to open at Flemingate in April, bringing men and women’s hair and beauty services and treatments together under one roof, and will create 21 jobs with employed and self-employed roles available, including renting out chairs and beauty rooms.

Supported by business partners Tom Pearson and Jack Hardcastle, Lee is now busy transforming the 5,000 sq ft former Peacocks fashion store into a stylish space for seven barbers, seven hairdressers, four nail technicians and three beauty rooms.

A seating area will be created down the centre of the open-plan salon, which will have a traditional feel with an industrial and modern twist, and artwork murals on the walls, similar to Vintage & Co’s Hull base.

It will also feature a green flower selfie wall for customers to take their own pictures and share their experience on social media while they wait for their hair colours to develop, an arcade game once Covid-19 restrictions ease further, a coffee bar area and hair appointments for children.

As a qualified hair industry trainer and assessor, Lee is also keen to form a partnership with East Riding College, which has its Beverley campus at Flemingate, with the aim of inspiring and supporting hair and beauty stars of the future through work experience and training.

Lee, from east Hull, said: “Vintage & Co has worked really well for us in St Stephen’s and we know it will work in Beverley too. There isn’t anything like this in the town for men and women under one roof and adds something new and different to Flemingate.

“We want clients to feel welcome, comfortable and relaxed, and give them a great experience.

“We’re working flat out to be ready for opening in April and I’m really excited because we’ve upped our game with the Flemingate salon. It will set a new standard for the business and take the experience for customers to a whole new level.”

The letting to Vintage & Co means a local, independent operator has been secured for a unit left vacant after national retailer Peacocks went into administration, resulting in the closure of stores across the country.

The announcement that Vintage & Co is to open at Flemingate comes as businesses at the centre prepare to welcome customers back on April 12, the day when non-essential shops, gyms, salons and bars and restaurants with outdoor space can re-open.

David Donkin, Property Director at Hull-based Wykeland Group, owner and developer of Flemingate, welcomed Vintage & Co to the popular retail and leisure destination.

He said: “Vintage & Co will add another new and complementary element to the mix of outlets at Flemingate and we’re delighted this opening will enable a local entrepreneur to expand his business and create new jobs.

“We’re all looking forward to the lifting of restrictions and it will be great to have a new member of the Flemingate family.

“Hair and beauty salons are going to be in very high demand after the lockdown, so Lee and his team can expect to get off to a flying start!”

Lee has already secured four barbers and three hairdressers for his team ahead of the salon’s opening. Anyone who would like to apply for the other positions should email chapelstreetbarbershop@gmail.com with their contact details, CV and examples of their work.