Salon at the centre of community life to close

It’s with a heavy heart that Maryna Fontenoy is closing Beaucatcher after 23 years on Church Street.

She remembers how the community stepped up to support the business with a Go Fund Me for staff salaries when she was diagnosed with cancer (she made a full recovery) and how her daughter used to play there from toddlerhood.

Speaking to See you in Stokey, she recalls the countless artists whose work was displayed on the walls, the musicians she ran gigs for, the constant collections she held for a women’s refuge and the trainee hair stylists who learnt their craft there.

But she says the landlord is hiking the rent and preparing to do major work to the building, which they’d be expected to pay towards.

Maryna said: “I put every penny into this business. I negotiated a deal with an antique seller in the Cobbled Yard to furnish the salon and sell her pieces – it benefited both our business. When a piece sold, we’d swap it for another.  We both grew our little businesses by this collaboration.”

Maryna and Christiana

The salon has featured the work of more than 80 artists, including local artist Gina Southgate.

Maryna added: “It’s difficult for artists to get seen and having their work on the walls was a way of helping them to earn while also keeping our walls interesting.

“It has mostly been a happy times here – full of music and art. I’ve felt so connected to the community, I’ve seen people’s kids grow up, my own daughter grew up here.  The messages of support we’ve had from our clients since we announced we’ll be closing have broken my heart and made my spirit soar too. When you have your hands on people, you form a great connection – you have to be worthy of their trust.

The Volunteers playing at Beaucatcher for Car Free Day

“Ultimately, with rents going up as they are and business rates so high, the only businesses able to afford Stoke Newington will be chains.  Salons are having a really tough time now and many are closing.  After Brexit it became harder to find staff and many hairdressers left salons and started working from home when Covid happened.   Running the salon has been getting harder and harder as costs increase – there’s only so much of that cost we can pass on to our clients.”

Beaucatcher will close its doors on July 10th.  But Maryna plans to continue hairdressing in the area.

She added: “Stoke Newington is a special community and it needs to safeguard itself to continue that connectivity. Knowing the shopkeepers is a big part of that. The business association plays such a big role in community life - constantly running events that help local people feel connected.”

Maggie from Beaucatcher

Heidi Early, chair of the Stoke Newington Business Association said: “Maryna, Maggie and the Beaucatcher team have been a massive part of our community for two decades, that’s an incredible achievement and they will be sorely missed by Stoke Newington. The connections they made, the artists, musicians and charities they supported, as well as their core service is what made them so special and exactly the kind of business that helps make Stoke Newington so unique. It will be a sad day on July 10th.”