Linslade tanning salon invites you to its ninth anniversary celebrations today

Customers are invited to SunZone Tanning, New Road, today (January 31) to help owner Zoe Pope and her team mark the special achievement – and there will be plenty of offers available, too.

The salon owner wishes to thank the community after they supported her business through the pandemic, and when she faced a huge increase in bills last year.

Zoe told the LBO: "These nine years mean so much to me. The last year has been really hard and it affected my mental health.

"I would like to thank my customers for their support and just being there and just being loyal. I'm a small business and without my customers I wouldn't be here and I wouldn't be able to support my family."

Zoe is orginally from Wales and later moved to Luton where she spent many years as a beautician, specialising in nails, hair and lashes.

However, the job put a strain on her back, so she decided to find an alternative career, spotting an opportunity in Linslade.

Zoe said: "I built my business from the bottom all the way up, and I bought a new sunbed every time I made money.

"I have three teenagers and needed something to keep them stable and to leave for them when they're older.

"It was hard when they were younger and they used to come into work with me when I couldn't get childcare.

"Running a business as a whole has been hard, but I just wanted to tell people that the message is keep going – even when you feel like you don't want to, keep pushing."

A single mum, Zoe was sent into survival mode when lockdown hit and she relied on a government grant to pay the bills.

And just when she thought her troubles were behind her, 2024 saw a huge surge in the cost of electricity – as prices rose from 14p to £1 per kilowatt - a yearly bill of £30,000.

"It affected my mental health and it was really hard, one of the hardest times for me," remembers Zoe.

"I didn't pay myself a wage. I just had to believe it would average out and that this year would be a good year.

"I'm looking for some new equipment and to keep working on marketing and branding."

As Zoe heads onwards and upwards, customers are invited to celebrate at SunZone Tanning from 11am to 7.30pm today.

The shop has been specially decorated and there will be:

> Exclusive one-day-only deals on sunbed courses, packages, and products

> Free giveaways for the first 50 customers.

"And a warm and welcoming atmosphere to thank our community for their support over the years," added Zoe. "Me and my staff are friendly people and I often go and visit my customers.

"Some people take sunbeds to help with their mental health, and for others it helps with arthritis, psoriasis, and eczema.

"It's nice to give back to people who are struggling."

SunZone Tanning is a proud member of the Sunbed Association, and use 0.3 tubes – "the safest and most effective tanning technology available".

Click here to find out more about SunZone Tanning, or visit its Facebook and Instagram pages.