Salon in the Spotlight: Palm Salon and Spa, Cambridgeshire

Located in an old telephone exchange office, Palm Salon and Spa offers the residents of Melbourn in Cambridgeshire the ideal setup to escape day-to-day life with indulgent nail and beauty treatments.

“I took over the Exchange back in February this year,” smiles owner, Francesca Roughan. “When I took it over, it was an empty, old telephone exchange. It was just two empty rooms which was a complete blank canvas for me to really be creative and create a place of calm.

“I had been working in the industry for nine years at one of the iconic Sanctuary Spas, and specialised in aesthetics and skincare the last two years at a clinic in Cambridge. I felt it was the right time to set up on my own. Little did I know that Covid-19 would have such a big impact on the start-up.”

Determined to create her dream workspace, Francesca designed luxurious and spacious treatment suites, a manicure bar and a pedicure lounge. “The lounge features a unique coffee and champagne bar,” states Francesca. “I also created a beautiful garden with stunning views of the countryside. Next year, we are planning on putting in a wooden hot tub so we can offer spa days and twilight evenings for couples and friends, who can enjoy a bottle of fizz and time in the hot tub after their treatments.

“I believe Palm is unique; our setting is totally private and set in the beautiful countryside. We pride ourselves on excellent service and going above and beyond. We offer an entire experience: a little bit of luxury and calm, not just a treatment.”

To create a calm environment, Francesca used neutral tones in her décor. “The spa has a beachy, scandi feel, with chilled and calm colours.

When ask what inspired the salon’s name and aesthetic, Francesca cited the symbol of symbol of relaxing getaways, “Aside from beauty, I love travel and holidays. Whenever I see a palm tree, it brings me a sense of calm and that sudden image in your head of soft sand in between your toes, the sound of relaxing waves, sunshine on your skin.

“My favourite part of our set up is the coffee and pedicure lounge. One of my personal favourite treatments is a pedicure, so I made it a priority to keep our pedi area private. This allows the client to really feel comfortable and enjoy the treatment.”

Find out more at www.palmsalonandspa.co.uk