Academy Now named Welwyn Hatfield Times' Hair and Beauty winner

Academy Now is a continuation of two former salons in Welwyn Garden City - Hair Now and Academy Hair and Beauty.

The salon is owned by Ashley Kissick, whose mother Jayne Beecroft owned Academy Hair and Beauty.

Academy Now Hair Salon (Image: Zoe Cooper Photography) Ashley, who said she "grew up in a salon and learnt from the best", opened Academy Now in Howardsgate in June 2023.

Since then the salon has been building up staff and clientele, and has a team with a wide variety of hairdressing experience and expertise.

Ashley worked for the majority of her career in London - including in some of the West End's top salons - but has been working in Welwyn Garden City since 2018.

When she opened Academy Now, Ashley said she wanted to showcase what she had experienced in London.

After learning the salon had won the award, Ashley said: "We were over the moon to hear we had won the Welwyn Hatfield Times' Favourite Hair Salon 2024.

The interior of Academy Now Hair Salon (Image: Zoe Cooper Photography) "It’s really gratifying to know how much our clients enjoy coming to our salon and enjoy their experience.

"Especially being very newly open - shows we must be doing something right."

Speaking about the salon's plans for the future and next steps, Ashley said: "As a salon we continuously look into courses to further our hairdressing knowledge with social media influencers and product brands that we use.

"We have a few in salon promotions coming up and one very special member of staff retiring.

"We wish Karen all the best for the future, and she’ll be sadly missed by her clients and colleague’s.

"Next year we hope to do some photographic work to show case our hairdressing skills.

"And we hope to keep pushing ourselves, continuingly making our clients happy and to win favourite salon next year."