A hairstylist who was forced to relocate has taken her business to a different salon in Swindon. 

Sofia Foxall, of Hair By Sofia, announced on Facebook that she would no longer be working at the Orbital shopping park on August 6 after the salon was taken over by new management.

Sylvester King, of Route 8 Barbers, took over the lease and opened Justi’s Hair and Beauty salon leaving Hair By Sofia and Gemma Nails, who rented a space in Sofia’s salon, looking for new homes.

But less than a month later Sofia, who has 30 years of experience in the hairdressing industry, has started working at Bouf’s Hair & Beauty in Old Town.

She announced the news on social media on September 2, informing her customers that she is now accepting bookings and will be at the salon, which opened in 2018, on Wednesdays.

Sofia told the Advertiser: “It’s a lovely salon and they do lots of nice treatments, I’m working there freelance at the moment.

“To be in that prime spot in the Orbital, someone has to pay for it and I couldn’t afford to keep doing it. I needed more hairdressers in that salon for it to be worthwhile and I just couldn’t get them.

"I thought it would be smooth and Sylvester wouldn't change things too much, however it was up to him. The lease was in his name, so if he did want to change things, he could. 

"It was very stressful for me. I’m a single mum with two kids, my eldest is doing his GCSEs, and with the cost of living crisis and the bills going up, the last six months of having that salon were just stressful.

"I kind of did want to stay at the Orbital but circumstances were out of my control.

"It is what it is. I just want to move on and I wish everyone the best.”

You can find Sofia on her Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/SofiahairSwindon 

In her intro for the new location, she says: "Hi, I'm Sofia. I'm a senior stylist and I've been in the hairdressing industry for 30 years.

"I would say I'm an all-rounder when it comes to hair. However, I specialise in colour, from balayage to babylights, catering to my client's individual needs."