AN IDLE hairdressers has won the T&A Best Hair Salon award.

"I couldn't believe it," said owner Rachel Crowther. "If you think how many salons there are in Bradford and we're number one. It's a great achievement.

"We didn't know we were nominated when we found out we made the top 20."

Rachel credited her loyal clients, which she has built up over 28 years, for helping them win.

"I have over 1,000 customers and people come from all over to get their hair done.

"We have people come from as far away as York and Newcastle and we even have one of our clients, who now lives in France come to see us when she was on a visit back home. She won't let anyone else touch her hair."

Loyal client Natalie White, who has travelled from East Bowling for the last four years, said: "I like how welcoming they are. There is always good conversation."

Rachel has spent 28 years of her life in hairdressing.

"I started working as a Saturday girl at a salon in Shipley at the age of 14. It's in my blood and my mum owned a hairdressing college."

Rachel learned the trade from her mum and now she has two girls, Jess and Hannah, who work for her at Funky and Fresh Hair.

Jess Murgatroyd, who is a stylist, said: "It's just exciting. We work hard, so it's nice to have a little appreciation."

Funky and Fresh Hair has been in Idle for the last 11 years, seven of which have been in their current building on The Green.

"In lockdown, we had it all done out," said Rachel. "We were able to have a complete revamp because of lockdown.

"It took us six weeks to do it. Normally we don't have that kind of time because we're too busy."

When Covid rules were relaxed in July 2020, Rachel explained: "We had hundreds of people who wanted to get their hair done. We were working 18 hours a day from 6am to midnight. Things were just beginning to settle down then went into another lockdown in November."

In addition to Funky and Fresh Hair, the shortlisted finalists were The Lounge, Silsden; Hairspray, Bingley; Seymours Cutting Room, Low Moor; Avenue Boutique Hair & Beauty, Eldwick; Coden Hair & Beauty Technicians,Crossroads, Airhead, Bingley; and Halo Hairdressing, Baildon.

Also shortlisted were Mario's, Chantelle Louise Hair Salon, Hairitage Hair Salon, Hair by Jo, Beau Hair & Beauty Specialists, Blues Hair Workshop, all from Bradford; Creative Hair Studio, Saltaire; Trinity Hair Studio, Shipley; Toni RB Hair Design and Faye Louise Hair Salon of Eccleshill; Liberty Lounge, Keighley; and House of Smith Salon, Scholes.