An Ipswich-based beauty academy and salon is opening its second site following a rise in demand for those seeking aesthetic treatments post-lockdown.
The Beauty Academy, run by Col Rivers and partner Nicolla Dorn, has been successfully offering both treatments and training at its site in Ipswich's Duke Street for the last few years.
Now they have taken on a new space - which they hope to open in May 2021 - just a few doors down in the former New Cutts Salon which has moved to a new location in Reynolds Road.
The new site, at 207 Duke Street, will become the brand's training hub where its highly qualified trainers, including co-founder Nicolla Dorn, will be running classes on microblading, permanent makeup, aesthetics, eyelash extensions, nails and more.
The current space will instead be used just for treatments - to allow more staff and more clients inside safely.
Mr Rivers said the new unit will be finished with a nice Italian-style décor, with Italian tiles and "the full shebang".
He said: "We had always been interested in expanding and we had been debating doing it for so long, but we finally went for it.
"We were an unknown company three or four years ago, but we have built our way up and have now gone into distribution, so have been selling products around the UK.
"This has really helped us survive the lockdown, and we did really well with booking in treatments between the restrictions."
The Beauty Academy originally offered predominantly permanent makeup and microblading, but since going into aesthetics they have seen a massive difference.
"I can sell aesthetic clinics out in a day," said Mr Rivers.
"The demand for lip filler, botox and jaw enhancements are incredible; it's shocked me really."
Mr Rivers said they have "outgrown" the unit in Duke Street for some time now and had been debating closing the site and seeking a huge new space.
However, the site just a few doors down the road came up and they decided to go for it.
"I'm all about taking risks," said Mr Rivers.
"It's really sad to see some businesses collapsing because of Covid but it is not all doom and gloom, and we are proof.
"The lockdowns have not been easy, and we've not had our normal turnover, but our distribution service has been lifesaving."
The team have already begun taking provisional bookings for April 12 and the rest of the month and May are already fully booked, with appointments in June and July also proving popular.
Not only is there a demand for appointments, but Mr Rivers said they have had lots of enquiries from young women who have lost jobs in the hospitality industry who are looking to try something new and are interested in training.
Mr Rivers said there is a "demand for everything" and they can't wait to open the new space.
For more details about The Beauty Academy see here.
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