‘Friendly’ Dagenham hair salon to celebrate 25 years

A salon which has shaped countless heads of hair will be celebrating a quarter of a century in business.

The Stylist’s Room in Dagenham Heathway, which turns 25 in April, began life as a barber’s shop in 1992.

Salon manager Gina Acton, one of two stylists at the salon, began working there 12 years ago – not long after its transformation into a unisex hairdresser’s.

“I’ve seen the pictures - it does look a lot better now,” admitted the mum-of-one, who moved from a salon in “hectic” central London.

“It’s a small, friendly salon, I love being here,” she enthused. “Staff are friendly here, the customers are friendly, and we have regulars who have come here since the day it opened.”

For the celebration in April, the team of four have invited old customers to join them for a drink or two to celebrate two and a half decades of great service. Owner Musa Basim, who worked in the salon for ten years before moving to Lebanon to retire, will also be present.

“He’s a brilliant boss, I can’t fault him,” added the 35-year-old, who lives in Hornchurch with partner Daniel Roome, 27.

Has business changed over the past decades? Gina believes it’s important to stay up to date.

“We are always offering new cuts because fashion changes every month,” she explained. “We also get a lot of different clients because there are new people who come in.”

On the subject of hairdressing, Gina believes you need passion to make the cut.

“I think your heart has got to be in it – if your heart’s not in it you can’t do it,” she said.

“It isn’t a glamorous job, but I’ve been doing it since I was 15 and I’m still loving it.”