A HAIR stylists which was gutted by fire four years ago has bounced back to win a national award.

Anna Mather Colour Specialist and Hairstylist was crowned the Hair and Beauty Salon of the Year winner at the Scottish Independent Retail Awards last Tuesday evening.

The awards bring together independent businesses from across the country and aim to highlight the value of independent retailers to their communities.

Anna Mather, owner of the business on Gifford’s Main Street, was delighted with the success.

First the business, which employs five people, defeated competition from Edinburgh, Dunfermline and Bonnyrigg, as well as Victoria’s in Dunbar and Nickie’s Hair and Beauty in Musselburgh, to be crowned the south-east of Scotland’s Hair and Beauty Salon of the Year.

Competitors from Stonehaven, Alloa and Bridge of Weir which had won similar regional prizes were then beaten to see the county business recognised as Scotland’s best.

Anna said: “Honestly when we heard our name read out for the south-east of Scotland we jumped up.

“It was the best feeling ever.

“We went up onto the stage, the whole team came up and we were presented with a certificate.

“I then wondered if we got the national award and they read our name out and I was just stunned but delighted.”

The award comes four years after the business was seriously damaged in a fire.

Firefighters from Haddington were joined by colleagues from Musselburgh and Newcraighall at the blaze on January 15, 2014.

The fire was so severe that the nearby Goblin Ha’ Hotel was evacuated.

Anna, who lives in Haddington, said it completed a remarkable turnaround.

She said: “The building was gutted. We were out for seven months – it was bad.

“The whole of one side had burnt up into the house above.

“The whole day of the fire, when we were standing outside, we were so upset and could not really think but I said whatever happened we would sort it out.”

Despite the blaze, the business, which has been running for seven years, never missed a day of trading.

Instead they moved temporarily into The Goblin Ha’, with a new salon now planned for Haddington.

Craig McLachlan, chairman of Gifford Community Council, offered Anna his congratulations.

He said: “She has been fantastic since she opened the shop in Gifford – the work she has put in, the contribution to the community – and she has become part of things; she deserves all the credit she gets.”