Hartlepool hair salon closes its doors after almost 50 years in the business

Trio Hair Fashions, in Stockton Road, has merged with Liberty’s Hair and Beauty salon, in York Road, Hartlepool.

Sixty-one-year-old Susan Hunt, who has owned Trio Hair Fashions for 25 years, decided to move to Liberty’s Hair and Beauty salon to downsize, shed some responsibilities and take things slower.

Susan said: “It was a natural time to end it. I had one colleague who left and changed careers and two who are retiring.”

Susan first started hairdressing at the age of 16 and will continue to do so until she too retires.

Despite closing the doors of her own salon, Susan will be renting a chair at Liberty’s Hair and Beauty where she will still trade as Trio Hair Fashions.

Last weekend Susan’s son, Christopher Hunt, organised a surprise farewell party for his mum at Trio Hair Fashions.

Thirty-six people turned up, including old clients and colleagues, and an emotional Susan said: “I was absolutely blown away. People were coming in through every door.”

She added: “It was so emotional. I cried like a baby.”

Among the jokes was that her last customer was the longest ever appointment because people kept coming in to say goodbye.

Christopher, who trained at Trio Hair Fashions for four and a half years before becoming a store man at Stockton’s University Hospital of North Tees, said: “Me and my sister were brought up around salon life and now my son is too.”

He added that the family just wanted “to celebrate the closing of an era” and continued: “We both feel this is a huge landmark for the family’s link to the salon and although it’s not a bad thing, it’s just a natural progression for the business as the industry no longer operates in the way the salon does.

Susan would like to thank her son and daughter, Christopher and Steph, for organising the surprise party and hopes to see all of her clients at the new premises.

Old and new clients can find Susan at Liberty’s Hair and Beauty salon in York Road from August 31.