Hawick dog-grooming salon back in business after double setback

Lorna Murray, 44, was devastated after she woke up on December 30 last year to find intruders had trashed the small unit beside her home in Charles Street in Burnfoot hosting her company Grooming 4 Paws.

The thieves made off from her canine salon with clippers, scissors and other dog-grooming products.

And in an act of wanton vandalism, they also smashed several items and spread shampoo across the walls of the unit.

Lorna refused to allow that setback to ruin her business, however, and got it back up and running again in little over a week.

Under three months later, though, just as she was getting her business back on its feet, she was forced to suspend all appointments due to the introduction of the lockdown on Monday, March 23.

Now, however, she is making tentative steps towards getting back in business after accepting her first new appointments with dog owners while observing strict social distancing rules.

Lorna said: “I am fortunate that my set-up allows me not to come into contact at all with any of my customers, and I have strict precautions in place to enforce that.

“It had already been a tough year with the break-in, and I was just getting over that when the pandemic happened, and because I was self-employed, you don’t get any of the grants that were made available.

“You could apply for a loan if you wanted one, but I really didn’t want to go down that road.

“My concern then was how am I going to get through this and when is it going to end, but I really always knew that the business would get through because I have such loyal customers who would come back to me, and that has proved to be the case.

“After this difficult time, I’m back open for business.

“I’m am open with strict regulations, which I explain on booking, and by appointment only, and, at this time, nobody is allowed to stay with their dog.

“I’d ask for people to bear with me as I have a list of customers I am working my way through and I will get to everyone as soon as I can.”