George hammer's new visionary concept

I have spent the morning with George Hammer, owner of Urban Retreat at Harrods, talking about his new concept, UR Beautiful, a salon which has opened in Boots in Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey. George isn't a trained hairdresser, but has been in the industry for years. He made his name when he opened The Sanctuary in London, then went on to bring Aveda to the UK before concentrating on his Urban Retreat salon in Harrods. His passion for business is evident and he is very inspiring to talk to, with fascinating stories and analogies. Urban Retreat at Harrods is the biggest salon in Europe - it occupies 20,000sq ft - but his challenges and concerns can be found anywhere on the high street. You can read about his new venture early in the new year. Ruth@HJi x