A third-generation Leith hair salon that has stood in the same Ferry Road premises since 1960 has been named Best Hair Salon at the 2026 Scottish Hair & Beauty Awards.
Muse Hair, a family-run salon with 66 years of history in the area, took home the title at the 15th annual SHABA awards in Glasgow, beating competition from salons across Scotland.
For Muse, the win is less a sudden arrival than the latest chapter in a story that began more than six decades ago.
Three generations of the same family have worked from the Ferry Road premises, through extraordinary changes in hairdressing, fashion, business and in Leith itself.
Owner Scott Finnigan said: “Winning Best Hair Salon means a huge amount to us. You’re in a room with some of the best people in the industry, from every part of Scotland, so hearing Muse called out was genuinely a bit surreal.
“But what makes it really special is the history behind it. We’re third generation. We’ve been working from the same premises on Ferry Road since 1960.
“Leith has changed beyond recognition. Hairdressing has changed beyond recognition. Somehow, through all of that, we’re still here.”
The Scottish Hair & Beauty Awards bring together leading salons, stylists, colourists, barbers and beauty professionals from across the country.
Muse reached the final alongside 15 other salons, while members of its team were also recognised individually, with Amanda Stanton shortlisted for Best Female Stylist and Best Female Colourist, and Mac Torrance shortlisted for Best Hair Extensionist.
Scott said the award reflected far more than what clients see from the chair. “There’s a version of running a salon that looks quite simple from the outside. You make the place look good, open the doors and cut hair.
“The reality is years of training people, building a culture, maintaining standards, fixing mistakes, adapting, listening, developing young stylists and constantly asking whether you can do things better.
“That part is invisible to most people, but it’s the part that matters.”
Muse has built its reputation around combining serious technical standards with an intentionally relaxed, unpretentious approach.
“We’ve never wanted Muse to feel corporate or overly polished,” Scott said. “We want people to walk in and immediately feel at ease. We take the work seriously, but not ourselves.
“There should be good conversation, good music, a bit of chaos, a lot of laughter — and, at the end of it, really good hair.
“To be recognised at this level while still feeling completely like us is probably the best thing about it.”
For a business with roots stretching back to 1960, the award also comes at a time when independent high-street businesses face unprecedented pressure.
For Muse, however, longevity has never meant standing still.
The salon continues to invest in education, emerging talent and the development of the next generation of hairdressers, while remaining independent and family-run.
Sixty-six years after the first generation opened the doors on Ferry Road, those doors are still open.
And now, above them, sits one more accolade: Best Hair Salon in Scotland.
