A salon in St Albans held a party to celebrate the business’ 40th anniversary

Tony’s Hair Fashions in London Road invited former staff and customers to a party at the salon on Thursday.

The salon was opened by Tony Colantuoni in 1977, and is still run by him and his family.

His son Gino said: “We’d invited all members of staff from the previous 40 years. We had about 30 guests, including some clients who had been with us for 30 or 40 years.”

Dylan’s Restaurant in George Street, who are opening a new tapas bar next door to the salon, provided the catering. Gino, who works in banking, said: “They are friends of ours and we asked them to do the catering. They provided fantastic food and all the guests were very pleased.

“My dad did a speech and he thanked my mum who has worked alongside him and my brother who works there.

“It was a good community party, the weather held up and there were kids of clients there. It was a really good, fun evening.”

Tony emigrated from Italy in the late 1960s, when he was 16.

Gino said: “He’s very grateful that England welcomed him. He set up this business with a couple of hundred pounds in his pocket.

“He’s very well-known in the community. Some of the staff that attended have gone on to open their own hair salons. There are several businesses that have been trained by my dad.

“I’m very proud of my father.”