Laura Newbold and Beth North of L.B Lounge in North Wingfield scooped East Midlands Hair Salon of the Year in The English Hair & Beauty Awards. They will now be up against the top salons in the country at the national final in Manchester on July 7.
Beth said: “We were really proud to be nominated and really proud to be in the final. To win out of 10 shortlisted finalists in the East Midlands is amazing. There was one shortlisted salon that was celebrating its tenth anniversary. I think we were the smallest team.”
Laura, 33, who lives in Grassmoor and Beth, 26 of Hady, Chesterfield are the only two employees in their salon. Beth said: “We are very busy and fully booked every day. We offer everything hairdressing-wise – colour, cuts, extensions, bridal hair and do men’s hair and children’s hair. We’re a very accommodating salon – we welcome every single person through the door with the same smile and the same welcome, we don’t discriminate against anybody or any age.”
The opportunity for Laura and Beth to set up their own salon arose when the businesswoman who previously ran the premises known as I Love Hair on Williamthorpe Road decided to close after 15 years. Beth said: “I had started there when I was 15 as an apprentice and Laura was already qualified when she started there at 18. We found out that we were third cousins a year down the line and we became best friends.
"We took over the premises and rebranded it as a new salon a year ago. We want bigger and better for the salon – we will probably expand over the years,” she added.
Hair and beauty salons which will be joining L.B Lounge in the national final of The English Hair & Beauty Awards include:
Aurora Beauty of Sheffield Road, Whittington Moor, Chesterfield who not only scooped the East Midlands Beauty Salon award but was also crowned overall winner out of the three regions East, East Midlands and West Midlands.
Boujee Beauty & Co Ltd of Sheffield Road, Whittington Moor who won Beauty Team of the Year.
Salon 40 of Grosvenor Road, Ripley which was awarded Local Salon of the Year
Kiri-Louisa Style of Chelcie Florence Studios, Grosvenor Road, Ripley who won Colour Technician of the Year and was highly commended in Stylist of the Year.
A spokesperson for The English Hair & Beauty Awards 2024 said: “Winning an award in this prestigious competition is a significant achievement, as it acknowledges the talent and hard work of hair and beauty professionals and sets a benchmark for others to follow. The winners of these awards represent the highest standards of quality and service in the English hair and beauty industry.”
1. Sign of success
Laura Newbold, left, and Beth North have won East Midlands Hair Salon of the Year in The English Hair & Beauty Awards. Photo: Submitted
2. All dressed up
Laura Newbold with her husband Rob and Beth North with her partner Zac Barraclough at the regional awards ceremony at Colwick Hall, Nottingham. Photo: Submitted
3. Party time
Family and friends attended the awards ceremony where L.B Lounge was voted East Midlands Hair Salon of the Year in The English Hair & Beauty Awards. Pictured from the left are: Kelly Oliver (Laura Newbold's sister), Claire Geary (Beth North's sister), Dorothy Laws (Laura's nan), Kelsie Geary (Beth's niece), Laura Newbold, Beth North, Vicki and Nigel Oliver (Laura's mum and dad), Rob Newbold (Laura's husband), Jason Witham (Beth's nephew-in-law), Zac Barraclough (Beth's partner) and Chris Geary (Beth's brother-in-law). Photo: Submitted
4. East Midlands Salon of the Year
Laura Newbold and Beth North opened L.B Lounge on Williamthorpe Road, North Wingfield a year ago. Photo: Submitted