A BUSINESSWOMAN is hoping to make trips to the barbers more enjoyable for youngsters.

Nicky Gray opened Fidgets in Marden Road, Whitley Bay, on Saturday, allowing youngsters to watch DVDs and lounge in cartoon character-themed chairs during their trim.

The 24-year-old came up with the idea when she found it difficult to settle her three-year-old autistic nephew, Ryan, during haircuts.

She said: “If you look down a high street, you’ll see about six salons for adults, but none for kids. I thought there was a real niche in the market.

“Children walk into a barbers and it’s an adult environment. The mothers are chatting away and the children feel a little squeezed in.”

Nicky launched her entrepreneurial career in 2006 with North Shields soft play centre Kiki’s Kabin, a venture which won her the 2007 North East England Shell Livewire Young Entrepreneur of the Year award. She used money earned through Kiki’s to fund the cost of starting up Fidgets herself.

She said: “When the credit crunch hit, a lot of soft play areas hiked their prices. We wanted it to be affordable for people to come two or three times a week, whereas most other play areas are a once-a-month treat.

“We used to see 200 to 300 people every week at Kiki’s. Now we get about 900 families through the doors. We started with four members of staff and that’s grown to 19.”

Nicky has hired five employees to work in Fidgets – four hairdressers and a party planner.

The premises include Brum, Lightning McQueen and Pink Princess Barbie chairs, a choice of DVDs, a party room with karaoke and Hollywood-style lit mirrors and an adult area so parents can “spend time getting their hair cut with their children”.

With a roster of 24 employees already under her care at age 24, Nicky is already looking to expand her hair business.

She said: “I’m trying to find premises on Gosforth High Street and maybe pin down a spot in the Metrocentre.”