Stylish future for former Battle bookmakers

The former bookmakers at Lake House, on the roundabout by Lower Lake, next to Your Cafe, has proved to be a blot on the landscape since it became vacant around four years ago.

But back in November salon owner Stelios Michael bought the building and is preparing to open a new hairdressers on the site.

The 36-year-old businessman owns Red Hair, in Castle Street, Hastings, as well as a second salon in Ashford.

Stelios says there has been a lot of interest since he took over the building, with Battle residents keen to be kept up-to-date with developments.

He said: “When I am in there with the builders, people keep coming in and saying it’s good something is being done with it.”

The team is working towards a September opening, which will coincide with the tenth anniversary of the salon in Hastings.

But there is still plenty of work to be done.

The building needs re-wiring and the shop looks ‘an absolute mess’ according to Stelios.

But he added: “It will be the best looking shop in the town by the time we have finished it.”

Red Hair in Hastings has a number of clients from Battle on its books who Stelios says have urged him to open a salon in the town.

He said: “We have got a lot of customers who come to us from Battle and the surrounding areas, so our customers have been telling us to do it for years.”

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