Blow to major beauty chain with 50 salons as several close suddenly with customers likely to lose up to £20m
THINGS have turned ugly for one of Britain’s biggest beauty chains as its clinics are being driven out of business.
Laser Clinics UK has about 50 franchised salons offering laser hair removal, lip fillers and facials.
But some franchisees say their clinics are facing bankruptcy — and will be left on the hook for their business’s debts.
Several, including in Leeds, Leicester and Liverpool, have closed suddenly, with customers likely to lose up to £20million they have paid for treatments.
One franchisee told The Sun on Sunday she felt suicidal after pumping her life savings of £300,000 into her salon.
Another was forced to shut the business and was being bombarded with customer complaints.
“It’s killing me,” she said.
Laser Clinics, owned by one of the world’s biggest private equity firms, KKR, was said to have asked franchisees to put in an initial £200,000 investment.
It was hoping to cash in on the craze for anti-ageing Hydrafacials, promoted by celebs such as Beyoncé and Paris Hilton.
But the owners say they soon found out they had to pay £150,000 for laser machines and had to offer unsustainable discounts and promotions.
They are considering a class legal action.
Laser Clinics said it was taking over a small group of its clinics.
It added: “Our goal — as always — is to support the long-term success of our franchisees.”