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Barbershop chain to open 100 outlets

Darlington-based hair and beauty chain Saks is to open a string of barbershops, creating hundreds of jobs.

The firm is planning to open 100 shops over the next five years as well as a barber’s academy in the coming months.

The academy, which will open at its headquarters in Darlington, will offer a 12-week course for men priced at £4,000, after which Saks managing director Stephen Kee believes the trainees will be almost guaranteed a job.

Mr Kee believes the career option will appeal to those that have been redundant, and said that he received more than 140 enquiries at the Darlington site over the Christmas period from people looking for work, with the majority of those being men.

The firm, which has been in business for 35 years, now expects to increase its overall turnover from £50m to £75m over the next five years as well as add around 12 female hair salons a year to its 140-strong nationwide portfolio.

Mr Kee said: “There are thousands of unemployed male workers out there who are looking for a change of career, and we have had calls from all sorts of people, including those involved in heavy engineering, who have realised this is one of a few remaining industries where employers are crying out for staff. Our courses will be held as we plan the launch of our barber chain, so there will be jobs open to students.”

The firm will also continue its expansion into international markets this year, with plans to open five new salons in Dubai to add to the site it opened in there in November last year.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .