A SUCCESSFUL entrepreneur is returning to his Bury roots by opening a new £80,000 hair salon in one of the town centre's most distinctive listed buildings.

And Stephan Gibson's Mop salon, which officially opens tomorrow (Sat March 8) will be well placed to prosper from a planned re-vamp of The Rock.

Mop is located in the Hornby Buildings and is poised to become one of the new-look features of this popular thoroughfare which is earmarked for a £50 million revitalisation.

With the majority of his other business interests based in busy Manchester, 39-year-old Stephan is delighted that he's now investing in his home town.

"I would not describe myself as a hair stylist, but an entrepreneur. I've been in business since 1989 and have 16 hair salons and tanning centres. Bury will be my 17th."

Stephan, who used to live in the town's Cornwall Drive, added: "I'd always fancied something in Bury and then I got the opportunity for the Hornby Buildings site. I've been working on the project for more than a year."

He has undertaken certain alterations within the building, strictly in keeping with its listed status. "My first bid to rent the building wasn't accepted. But my second bid was. I want to try to bring some glamour to that end of the Rock."

Mop will employ a nine-strong staff and have 12 cutting areas, although sufficient space is available to double this to 24.

Stephan, whose businesses overall employ a total of 70 staff, is acutely aware of the history and significance of the Horny Buildings. "I want the place lit up at night so people can see it. And there will be no shutters.

"Our salon is aimed at anybody who likes a quality service and who takes care of their appearance. I always say that if your hair looks good, then you look good."

Good news is that Mop is raising cash for Bury Hospice. For a period, booking discounts of 25 per cent, allied to money from organic hair smoothies made from Modern Organic Products (MOP) and fresh fruit, will be donated to the Hospice.