Bury St Edmunds salon Wayne Hurr Hair celebrates 10 successful years and a new refurbishment

A business located in the oldest timber-framed property in Bury St Edmunds is celebrating 10 successful years – and a new refurbishment.

Colour specialist Wayne Hurr has been working in hairdressing for more than 25 years. In 2014, he and Steve Hurr decided to go alone and opened the Wayne Hurr Hair salon in Churchgate Street, with a team of self-employed stylists who also boast years of hairdressing experience in Bury.

“It has been a really big success,” said Steve. “We have got an amazing reputation in town. All our stylists have been with us for years and years. We have a really strong team. The ethos is we give them a good deal so they can give their clients a good deal.

“Obviously it has been a bit tough at times over the past 10 years, with the cost-of-living crisis and covid.

“After the pandemic people were desperate to get their hair done. Wayne has a really good relationship with his clients, people have been with him for 20 years or more. Some clients now live abroad and time when they come back so they can get their hair done by Wayne.”

The salon has just been renovated, with new equipment throughout, new furniture and a different layout.

“It is looking great and we have had such good feedback,” said Steve. “Customers love it and we feel like finally we have put our stamp on the salon.”

The Grade II*-listed building is the oldest timber-framed building in Bury.

The building’s core dates to around 1300, with early 16th century alterations and extensions and a 19th century shopfront.

The official Historic England listing for the site says the original remains are incomplete, but ‘sufficient to indicate that this is the earliest timber-framed building found in the town, while the evidence of clasping tie-beams is so far unique in Suffolk’.

Steve said working in and refurbishing the Grade II*-listed salon presented some challenges – such as its wonky floors – but for every slight drawback there was a positive.

“We can’t make any changes which detract from its listed status, it has its quirks and lovely beams and it has its own personality,” said Steve.

The salon’s highlights of the past decade include winning Bury Free Press Salon of the Year in 2014.

“After Wayne left Toni and Guy he initially had to work some distance from the town due to his contract. When his clients followed him, that was our cue that we could open our own salon,” said Steve. “It is Wayne and the stylists that our customers come to see.”