A Surbiton eyelash salon has been left with thousands of pounds worth of damage after a car crashed into it.
Lashes By Hols on Brighton Road suffered £20,000 in damage after a driver pulled out of a parking spot on the other side of the street before smashing into the eyelash salon.
Owner Holly Smyth said the salon had to be closed for two weeks to clear up the damage.
The 28-year-old said: "It's been really difficult managing this situation.
"It was quite painful seeing the damage to my salon, which I worked so hard to create and keep running.
"I'm just happy I was able to get back up and running in two weeks, although the storefront is currently still boarded up."
Holly has been running the eyelash salon ever since she opened it in February 2022.
The car reportedly smashed through the glass storefront and came to a stop at the back of the salon, causing damage to the floors, walls, furniture, and equipment.
Emergency services were called to remove the vehicle, which was being driven by an elderly woman.
In addition to the walls, floor, and storefront, four lash beds, the reception desk, the sofa, and four ring lights were damaged.
Holly had to pay £1,200 immediately to board up the storefront overnight and keep the salon secure.
The damaged furniture alone was valued at £8,000, while repairs to the floors and walls were quoted between £9,000 and £11,000.
Holly said it was essential to reopen quickly to keep her clients, meaning she had to cover the initial costs herself while waiting for the insurance claim to be processed.
She added: "It's been stressful, but it was always a priority for me to get the salon open as soon as possible.
"I haven't replaced any of the lash beds for example, because I can't afford that right now, so we are using the beds we usually use for training people.
"But we have fixed the walls and floor, which was crucial, and I replaced the sofa as well.
"It's a work in progress but I'm content as long as we can still welcome customers."
The Metropolitan Police and London Fire Brigade have been contacted for comment.
