Grantham hairdresser celebrates 40 years after she beginning at 16 years old

A Grantham hairdresser has celebrated 40 years of being in the industry.

Rebecca Hoyes began her hairdressing career at 16 years old.

This month, she celebrates 40 years in a career she said has been “really good”.

On her career, Rebecca added: “I think nowadays it is about the people, and just making them feel good and when they come in and making them feel welcome.

“The hair is a good part of it as well.

“But, we do get a lot of older clients or people who live on their own and they just like to chat and you find out so much about people and their lives.

“It’s quite interesting what they tell you.”

Rebecca began her hairdresser training through an apprenticeship in Lincoln and then she later came back to Grantham.

She worked with her auntie Cynthia Bennett, who owned The Hair Cabin, in Dudley Road, for 41 years.

It was then in February 2011, Rebecca took over as owner from her auntie.

She decided to get into hairdressing because it was “something that I was always interested in”.

She added: “There was an opportunity for an apprenticeship as one of the other girls got dermatitis so she had to give it up.

“There was a vacancy [and] I took it.”

When she came back to Grantham to work with her auntie, Rebecca said she was a “great boss”.

She added: “She was very fair, she taught me but still she was very fair.

“If you did something wrong or it wasn’t right, she wouldn’t pull you up in front of everybody, she would always take you aside.

“Also, even though she was my auntie, I wouldn’t obviously call her that at work!”

One of the hardest things Rebecca has faced in her career so far was Covid.

For hairdressing, it was one of many sectors that could not work at all due to the personal contact involved in the job.

Rebecca said it was a “stressful” and “tough” time for her.

She added: “We didn’t know whether we could open or not and when we came back, everyone wanted a haircut.

“It was really tough, but we got through it.”

To Rebecca’s clients and those who have worked with her over the years, she wanted to thank them.

She said: “With clients, along the way they’re not just clients, you become friends.

“I’ve [also] had some really good work colleagues, whether I was employed with them or they rented a chair in the salon.

“We work very closely and become really good friends and help each other out.”

Next year, The Hair Cabin celebrates 80 years, since it was first opened by Edna Gibson in 1944.

Edna ran the salon for 27 years, before Cynthia took over in 1971.