Hairdressing veteran Ginny Jessey has cut loose on her own.

The stylist will cut the ribbon on her first salon in her own name tomorrow after 20 years in the Bermuda hairdressing business.

Ms Jessey said: “You get to the point where you outgrow just being a hairdresser and want to become a proprietor.

“I thought about how long I had been in the business and my future and I didn’t want to work for someone else forever.”

Ms Jessey, a mother of two from Warwick, only formally took over the former Wavelength hair salon on Paget’s Lovers Lane on January 1.

And she and her team have been working at top speed to revamp the 20-year-old salon in time for the opening.

Ms Jessey, who worked at Bersalon before spending 17 years at Tangles hair salon on Burnaby Street in Hamilton, said: “I’ve always said if I had a salon of my own, I would have one out of town.

“it was a matter of finding the right location and I had been looking about for a while — Wavelength was ideal. It’s out of town, but still fairly central and there’s plenty of parking.”

She added: “I’m also able to keep my prices low, which will help people.”

The new salon, which offers hairstyling for women and men, will also feature manicures, nail enhancement, and pedicures.

And Ms Jessey added: “When I find the right massage therapist we will be offering massage services as well.”

Ms Jessey said that salon — which had previously been open plan — had now been divided up with stylish screens separating the different areas and repainted.

She added: “The salon came with all fixtures and fittings, but I’ve added a sound system with speakers in the ceiling, TV screens, a computer system and coffee and water machines.”

And she said: “We’ve also put a beautiful crystal chandelier and an antique mirror in the reception area.”

Ms Jessey added: “There are two extra rooms — one was formerly used for waxing, but I will eventually have the massage therapist in there. The other room will be my office and stockroom.”

She said she had kept on the two existing employees from Wavelength.

Ms Jessey added: “They have a good following — they’re both really good and I can’t wait to see their faces when they walk in here.”

Ms Jessey said former owner, Barbara Edwards, who operated Wavelength for 22 years before deciding to hang up her scissors, vetted several potential buyers before opting for her.

She added: “She wanted to make sure the salon went to the right person. I think there were other people interested, but she chose me.

“We only started negotiations at the beginning of November, so it was very quick.”

And she’s also inherited another salon fixture — 22-year-old cat Baldrick, which Ms Edwards insisted stay with the salon.

Ms Jessey said that she was determined to go it alone, despite the recession.

Ms Jessey explained: “There is still a demand — people do need to get their hair cut, more than a massage or a facial, It’s more of a necessity.”

And she added that, in addition to former clients who had given up on travelling to town due to parking difficulties signing up for the new-look salon, existing Wavelength customers had transferred their allegiance to the new owner.

But she said: “It’s a risk, don’t get me wrong — I’ve had many a panic attack, but I have quite a good following after 22 years and the salon has quite a good following as well.”