Artificial flowers make a colourful presence in Kirkgate

No. 44 Kirkgate has undergone a major change of use with the arrival of Artificial Flowers (pictured above) at what had been the Hair Design Centre since 1986.

The new business, which opened in July, is owned by Syed Umer, pictured above, and his wife, Isra, who is responsible for the striking shop-window designs. Mr Umer is well-known to motorists as manager for the last 11 years of the petrol station in Keighley Road, a job he will continue to do.

Artificial Flowers Keighley UK provides a physical presence for the family's online business, which started more than three years ago and supplies customers throughout Europe. The shop title includes the names of Mr and Mrs Umer's two daughters, Mishel and Meltem Umer, and son Muhammad Erdoan. The Hair Design Centre had been run at 44 Kirkgate by Annette Russell since 1986 and from 1992 until May 2022 by her daughter, Judith Russell (see my post of December 15th, 2013). Judith has moved to 86 Kirkgate, sharing premises with beauty and skin business Equilibrium (see my post of August 3rd, 2018), which with the hair salon reopened as Enhance in June.