Worksop nail technician with celebrity clients including Love Island stars Malin Andersson and Jessica Hayes optimistic for the future after lockdown

Fast forward a year and the mum of two is desperately trying to adapt in order to stay in the job she loves as the pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the beauty industry.

Christy, who had been renting a chair at Shade salon in Worksop for three years when lockdown hit, is now busy turning part of her home into a nail salon ready to welcome clients back when the government gives the go ahead.

Christy made the decision to convert part of her home into a salon in order to rebuild her client base without the pressure of paying rent in a salon.

Christy, aged 29, of Mount Avenue said: “They’ve been really good at the salon and said they’ll leave my space open if I want to go back when I’ve got my client base up again but I wanted to see how things went first without the worry of having to pay rent.

"It has been such a worrying time for me and for people in our industry, I was starting to think people having beauty treatments might become a thing of the past after people had gone so long without having them done.

"It’s like a domino effect a lot of my clients have lost their jobs so things like getting their nails done take a backseat. Weddings were cancelled and no one is going on holiday or going out so obviously people aren’t having their nails done, hopefully this will pick up as things get back to normal.

"I’m really hoping things will pick up when I reopen, I don’t want to have to retrain and do something else as I worked hard and love my job.”

As well as renovating her home Christy has also been looking after her two children Emma, aged 10 and two-year-old Hudson.

But the determined business woman has been doing everything she can to keep her passion going in lockdown, launching a press on nail delivery service Presstige Nails and using the time to do her nail technician teaching qualifications with industry big hitter Lecente.

"The press on nails did really well in the fist lockdown, I even had some celebrity clients ordering including Helen Flanagan, and some of the Love Island girls including Malin Andersson and Jessica Hayes.

"I’ll keep this business going after lockdown. I also did my AET teaching qualification and am going to be teaching with Lecente, I would’ve never found the time to do this if we hadn’t been in lockdown so I suppose this is the silver lining.”

Christy is now looking forward to welcoming her clients back and is hoping the future looks bright for her industry.

She said: “All my clients have been brilliant and so supportive and it’s nice to see all our industry has come together.

"As much as it’s been such a worrying time, I am extremely grateful for the time I have been able to spend with my family and the memories we have been able to make.”

To book with Christy visit @christyratcliff on Instagram.

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Sam Jackson, editor.