A beauty salon has moved out of the town centre after 29 years and set up shop in a new home at the Suffolk Food Hall site in Wherstead.

Nicola McHardy, owner of the Bodylines Beauty Salon, said she had growing concerns about anti social behaviour, especially when she was working late, but also said changing customer habits had prompted the move.

%image(15132186, type="article-full", alt="Looking out at Tacket Street from the old Bodylines Beauty Salon shop in Ipswich.")

"I think Ipswich is changing and not for the better.

"There has got to be some incentives for people to rent a building and there won't be people hanging around street corners and beer cans on your windowsills.

%image(15132187, type="article-full", alt="Owner of Bodylines Beauty Salon Nicola McHardy says she thinks the Tacket Street building is "beautiful" but not suitable for her anymore.")

She clarified that her old building is "beautiful" and her landlord and Ipswich Borough Council have been "amazing" at supporting her coping throughout the pandemic.

%image(15132188, type="article-full", alt="Bodylines Beauty Salon offers wedding makeup and makeup tutorials")

She is excited about the move to her new salon, which offers more opportunities.

"Everything we've got built will be bespoke to our needs," she said. "It will be my forever salon.

"I just want my salon to work and be beautiful."

She also thinks being on the same site as the food hall as well as the garden centre, hairdresser, and restaurant will add to the attraction for her clients as they can make it a day out.

Bodylines does face and body treatments, hair removal, makeup, manicures and pedicures in a "Covid safe" way, Mrs McHardy added.

"We were santising and washing the beds down before, it's quite normal, apart from wearing a mask.

"I think Covid has made everyone be cleaner."

%image(15132189, type="article-full", alt="Bodylines Beauty Salon moved to its new space at Suffolk Food Hall on May 17")

Bodylines is upstairs next to the restaurant in Suffolk Food Hall and opened on Monday, May 17. To book see bodylinesbeautysalon.com.