AFTER navigating my way through the aisles past customers doing their weekly shop, I was starting to wonder if getting my hair cut at Tesco was such a good idea.

The store has become one of only six nationally to open a Regis hair salon, and one of three to have a beauty salon.

It is the latest move by a large supermarket to provide everyhting people need under one roof — earlier this year, rival Asda even launched its own budget bridalwear range.

At Tesco, waxing, threading, manicures, spray tans, head massages and haircuts are some of the treatments on offer in the supermarket.

Horwich’s Tesco Extra also has a bespoke beauty shop area, with beauticians on hand and a gel nail bar.

Karen Davis, Tesco’s category buying manager for beauty, said: “We are making life as simple as possible for customers.”

Since the salon opened two weeks ago, people have been lining up in the store to get a slot and by lunchtime each day the salon is fully booked.

But hairdressers in Horwich have greeted the salon’s opening with mixed reaction. Amanda Taylor, owner of The Salon in Winter Hey Lane, said: “I’m disgusted with Tesco, they have got everything—a village under one roof — when everyone in the town is struggling as it is.”

Her thoughts were echoed by Susan Kaneen, owner of A Cut Above Chaos also in Winter Hey Lane, who said Tesco were being “very greedy”.

But she does not believe the supermarket salon will work.

“Getting your hair cut is a luxury and people have said it’s like sitting in a goldfish bowl being watched by everyone going past,” she said.

Stylist Shane McLoughlin, who fitted me in for a dry cut, said he was “amazed” by how busy they had been, with backto- back customers every day. He added: “Everyone has said it is really handy, and someone said it’s like being in a cheaper version of Selfridges.”

Waiting customer Jane Shelmerbine said it was her fourth attempt to get a trim, as every other time the salon had been too busy.

“I’m nervous to see whether it is any good but I thought I would give it a go — it’s so cheap at the moment,” she said.

The price of a wash and cut at the Tesco salon is £20.

Although Shane was very professional, I think I’ll go to a traditional salon for future cuts.

But for anyone thinking about having a snip in Tesco, it is what it says on the tin—a haircut in a supermarket