CUSTOMERS at a Flintshire salon will no longer have access to gossip magazines whilst they wait in a beautician’s bid to ban negativity.

Hello Pretty, based in Flint, have joined salons up and down the UK in ditching gossip magazines from their reading material on offer in the wake of former Love Island presenter Caroline Flack’s suicide on Saturday, February 15, at the age of 40.

Lauren Jones, owner of the salon, made a statement on the salon’s social media page about the decision.

She said: “We have decided as a salon to bin the gossip magazines and will no longer be offering these whilst you’re at the salon. We will now be offering a wider verity from gardening, food recipes, world culture, health and wellbeing and finally home styles magazines.

“With the devastating news about Caroline Flack, and everyday society, we will not be promoting these magazines that slate people, put people down, advertise personal problems, disrespect peoples outfits; the list goes on.

The Leader:

Love Island presenter Caroline Flack died earlier this month

“I hope other salons will join us with this decision and that our lovely clients agree with our decision. We can't make you do any of this, but hopefully you try it.”

The salon is also going one step further to combat the fact that damaging words are no longer just in print form. Clients are encouraged to switch off their mobile phones to take a break from the world of social media – encouraging face-to-face interaction with the stylist and beauticians.

Lauren adds: “We find so much negativity on social media and we really believe a break does you good. If it's gossip - or even you seeing pictures of other people and you comparing yourself - it is all an affect to your mental health.”

She says that the salon wants to encourage an environment where people feel confident to open up to their stylist with the assurance everything stays confidential.

One member of staff, Fern Lewis, has completed mental health awareness training and also signed up as a champion for domestic abuse campaign White Ribbon UK.

Miss Jones will also be joined by the staff member to host an event where the salon will be closed on March 4 at 4pm to provide free facials, tea and coffee in a completely confidential environment and said nothing will be posted on social media.

Speaking about the event, Lauren said: “We all have busy lives and I’ll be the first person to admit I don’t check in enough on my loved ones because I’m ‘too busy’. Life is too short, nothing else in this world matters more than your loved ones and making sure they are ok.

“We know we aren’t in the mental health sector or counsellors, but we are humans who fight our own battles and we genuinely care.

“It has brought us tears talking about Caroline and opening up to each other about our own experiences. We genuinely just want to do something with the platform we have on social media. We need more kindness & support.”