New owner's offer to beauty salon victims

Physiotherapist Adrian Lusted has bought the premises and intends re-opening as a centre for health and beauty.

He has also promised to honour by 50 per cent any vouchers bought by customers who were stung by the January disappearance of former owner Sarah Taylor.

Mrs Taylor stripped the premises overnight of equipment and furniture, leaving thousands of pounds of unpaid wages and bills from suppliers when her business went bust.

Shocked customers learned vouchers bought by them as Christmas presents were useless.

"I am concerned people may think I have something to do with the former owner and will do what she did. That's is not the case. I am here to stay. It has been my dream to have my own premises and I will make it work.

"There still is a stigma attached to the premises," he added. "People are reluctant to give you credit as soon as they learn where the premises are."

Adrian, who qualified as a physiotherapist in 1999, spent a year in Canada to learn pilates instruction before returning to his home town and built his client base through working from home and at Janet Warner's hair salon in Sea Road. But his dream was always to have his own premises.

He opens the Quakers Mill doors again to his physiotherapy clients this week, and by mid-August hopes to have a pilates fitness centre on the first floor.

The grand opening of the hair salon, beauty therapy, spa and sun shower will take place in September, when it is hoped members of the Brighton Seagulls will come along for a make-over.

He is also in the process of recruiting extra staff.

"I will need two beauty therapists and three hair stylists," he said, plus three part time receptionists and a handyman."

The 39-year-old, who is busy redecorating, has a name in mind for the new centre, but is hoping readers will come up with something better.