English Hair and Beauty Awards 2024: Award-winning South Kirkby salon owner opens new hair and beauty site after losing previous premises

Jane Jennings, who owns a salon in South Kirkby, opened the new Jessica Harvey Aesthetic Beauty and Training Academy in Royston on Monday, April 15 – 10 months after losing her premises in Newmillerdam.

The awards ceremony, which took place on Sunday, April 14, saw Jane take home the Training Academy of the Year award.

Jane said: “Back in June last year, I was based in a hotel and we were evicted with two days notice. We overcame that.

"It's a positive story. It feels amazing.”

Jane previously ran her beauty business from two treatment rooms in the Best Western St Pierre hotel in Newmillerdam, however Jane had to leave the premises after she was informed with two days notice that the hotel was being closed to house asylum seekers.

Speaking of the experience, Jane said: “It was very stressful. I didn't ever want to be in that position again where a landlord could kick me out.”

Jane, who also had cancer five years ago, said she thinks it is important to ingrain resilience in her students despite life’s challenges: “You have to keep on keeping on. I try to instil that in all my young girls that start. They can be put off by small things, [but I want to] help them to become resilient and just help and support them in their businesses.”

A spokesperson for the English Hair and Beauty Awards 2024 said: “We had an outstanding response from the public who went behind our nomination process and put forward tried and tested beauty professionals that deserve recognition.

“The awards remark the strength, skill and innovation of those who have shown excellent commitment to customer satisfaction and have changed the industry’s landscape by introducing innovative treatments and services, building extremely close and trusted relationships with their clients.”

The ceremony took place at Leeds United Football Club on Sunday, April 14. The annual black-tie event celebrates ‘rising and well-established stars that make a difference in the industry.’ Since starting in England 12 years ago, the Hair and Beauty Awards branched out into separate events held each year in Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland, London, Toronto and New York.