Woolf Kings X in King's Cross named best new independent salon business

On Chalton Street, a short walk from King's Cross and St Pancras, a salon with a literary name has been making waves in the hairdressing world. Woolf Kings X was named winner of the Independent Salon Business Newcomer category at the British Hairdressing Business Awards 2026, announced in March at the Royal Lancaster London.

The awards, run by trade magazine Hairdressers Journal, celebrate the best businesses in British hairdressing, and the newcomer category recognises independent salons making a strong start. It was a good night for London, with Samantha Cusick of Samantha Cusick London and Stā Studios named Business Director of the Year.

Woolf Kings X is the project of session hairdresser Joe Mills, and it sets out to do things differently. The salon describes itself as neither a barbershop nor a traditional hairdresser. Rather than offering fixed men's cuts or women's styles, its stylists tailor each look to the individual client. "Woolf embraces all styles, moods, cultures and choices," said Mills.

He has described the aim as offering "an exclusive feel in an inclusive space with a new way of working and pricing".

The building adds to the charm. The site was originally a J. Sainsbury's shop, dating from 1907, and the team kept Edwardian touches in the tiles and light fittings. Patterned tiles, white metro tiles in the styling area and exposed pipes in the backwash area give it a distinctive look, and the name is a nod to the writers and artists of the Bloomsbury set, including Virginia Woolf.

The salon spreads across two floors and more than 2,750 square feet, with 14 backwash basins including a downstairs studio. Remarkably, the full refurbishment was completed in just four weeks over Christmas. "We did this in four weeks over Christmas," Mills told Hairdressers Journal, calling it "a challenge!"

The newcomer award is a strong vote of confidence for a salon built on inclusivity, and a welcome boost for independent hairdressing in this corner of north London.

Woolf Kings X is on Chalton Street, NW1, between Euston and King's Cross. To book an appointment, search for Woolf Kings X online or on social media.