Nail salons report 8% growth in 5 years – but it’s not all good news for the sector
By Helena Biggs | 28 October 2024 | Movers & Shakers, News
The number of nail salons that have opened in the UK since 2019 is 1,680 – an 8% growth in five years.
The nail salon brand with the highest growth is three-time Scratch Stars Award-winning enterprise, Townhouse, which has expanded to 40 locations across the UK.
According to figures, which have been provided by the Local Data Company and shared by the National Hair & Beauty Federation (NHBF), beauty salons have also seen growth, with 4,490 businesses opening during the same period.
Caroline Larissey, chief executive – NHBF
“Despite an unbelievably challenging context, our sector is growing, and it’s great to see this success,” comments Caroline Larissey, chief executive of the NHBF. “However, it’s sad to see that only just over half of businesses are making it past the five-year mark.”
Beauty salons saw the largest decline in five-year survival rates, with only 54.4% of businesses reaching this milestone.
However, the overall survival rate for businesses has improved slightly to 91.9%, with independent businesses making up 99% of the sector.
The NHBF has also released findings from its State of the Industry survey, conducted in September 2024. The results reveal that 75% of businesses are finding it harder to recruit in 2024 than in 2023, and 20% of those surveyed are expecting their turnover to decrease slightly before 2025, up from 12% surveyed in July 2024.
Larissey continues: “These quarterly survey results show that sector recovery remains slow but steady. However, low recruitment intentions are a real concern for the industry across both staff and apprentices.
“The NHBF is constantly looking at ways to support members to have profitable businesses, whether they are a salon or lone operator. The organisation has introduced Business in a Box, to provide a step-by-step guide to starting, maintaining and growing.
“This includes worksheets, templates, and checklist for the requirements of operating a safe and legal business as well as advice and guidance on all aspects of future-proofing and running a successful business.”