A NEW salon is set to open in Oswestry town centre on Monday.

Rachel Locke-Williams is opening up a shop at the Griffin Courtyard in Leg Street, at the building formerly occupied by Hobo Floral Design.

It is the first time the 20-year-old has had her own shop after launching her business post-lockdown.

Having previously worked at another salon in the town, Rachel was on the lookout for a place of her own in Oswestry and was in luck when Tracey Austin, a family friend who runs Hobo Floral Design, vacated her old premises.

Rachel said: “I know Tracey through my family and when her old shop became available we were able to show our interest and get it sorted quite quickly.

“I was looking for a shop because I had built up a good client base during my time at Rose & Co in Willow Street.

“I’ve always wanted to have my own place since I started doing this about three years ago.

“As I said, I have managed to build up a strong client base, so it’s been great and getting a place of my own makes sense really.”

After giving the building a makeover, the hair and beauty salon will open on Monday, with Rachel expecting to be open from Monday to Saturday.

She is looking forward to opening after what has been a tough year for many people working in the close-contact services industry.

Rachel said: “It’s been difficult, especially during the lockdowns.

“The best thing to come out of it all is the shop – it’s really nice to be back now.

“I love working in Oswestry and the shop is in such a great part of the town, and everyone along the street is so friendly.”

To find out more about Rachel’s salon or to book an appointment, visit @_byrachlouise_ on Instagram or By Rachel Louise – Hair, Beauty and Training Courses on Facebook.