Ball to bring together Gosforth High Street businesses

Oct 2 2009 by Tony Henderson, The Journal

A HIGH Street’s businesses are having a ball – thanks to salon owner Michelle Hilling.

Michelle runs her U Salon hairdressing business and two barber’s shops on Gosforth High Street in Newcastle.

Last year The Journal reported how a city council study said that the condition of Gosforth High Street does not reflect the quality of the wider area.

Michelle, who moved on to the High Street five years ago, thought that businesses should unite to tackle the street’s problems, especially parking difficulties.

She decided to organise a ball at the Gosforth Marriott Hotel to bring businesses together, and now 240 of the 280 tickets have been sold for the October 10 event.

Any surplus cash from the ball will go to breast and prostate cancer research. Michelle’s father, Norman McFadyen, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

“I wanted to pull everyone on the High Street together so that we could all get to know each other and work together,” said Michelle, who lives in Ponteland.

“It has gone really well and the idea is that we can promote and support each other’s businesses and if we have problems in the High Street we can all talk about them.”