A nail technician and hairdresser are looking for a new home after their retail park base is under new ownership.

Sylvester King, of Route 8 Barbers at the North Swindon Orbital Shopping Park has announced he has taken over adjacent unit 89, which was the home of Gemma's Nails and Hair By Sofia. 

The barbershop owner said he had plans to refurbish the unit and 'transform' it into a new hair and beauty salon, but both of its existing businesses have announced they will be looking for new homes. 

On Monday, Gemma's Nails announced on its Instagram page that it had to leave its home quickly and would temporarily close while it looks for a new one, saying "we're so sorry for this to happen."

They added: "We have to move to a different unit. I will be in touch when we reopen the new business. Thank you for understanding."

The day after, Hair By Sofia also announced that it would be leaving, in a post on its business Facebook page, they said: "Hi everyone the salon is now under new ownership and I will not be working at Orbital for the new management."

On the same day, Sylvester King publicly announced he was the building's new owner and revealed his big plans for it. 

He said: "First of all, I want to extend my apologies to all of you who have enjoyed Sofia and Gemma's Nails services over the years. We understand the inconvenience, but we have temporarily closed the shop for an important refurbishment. Our goal is to enhance your experience by increasing the waiting space, modernizing the shop, and introducing a card payment system.

"Over the years, Route 8 Barbers has been more than just a place for haircuts—we’ve been a hub for community support, offering opportunities to those passionate about starting their journey in barbering. I’m incredibly proud of the impact we’ve made together, and I’m excited to share our next chapter with you.

"We’ve taken over a unit next door at the North Swindon Orbital and will be transforming it into a brand-new Hair and Beauty Salon! This new space will offer a wide range of services including nails, lashes, spray tans, waxing, massages, and much more. Most importantly, it will continue the work we started—creating more opportunities for individuals who are passionate and eager to turn that passion into a career."

He is currently looking for staff, including nail techs, lash/brow techs, hairstylists, waxing specialists, spray tan specialists, permanent makeup artists and massage therapists.

Those interested should contact him at route8barber@gmail.com.