HAIRDRESSER, businessman, oyster farmer, racing pigeon master – there is not much David John cannot put his name to.
But after over 20 years out of the hair industry, David has reclaimed the David John salon in Moulsham Street, which he opened in the 70s.
David, alongside his daughter Hayley, decided to buy his old business back after the lease ran out and return it to the splendour it once was, having been revamped in the style of Art Deco with a modern twist.
Champagne flowed in abundance at the launch party this week, which was attended by over 100 people and included special guest, Strictly Come Dancing beauty, Ola Jordan.
The team of 20 staff, specialise in both men and women's hair, from luxury cuts – which include a treatment and shampoo and conditioner to take home, to wedding hair and make-up.
But the salon has also been transformed into a one-stop beauty shop with two health and beauty companies, Phoenix and The Beauty Suite, taking over the second floor.
"I am 65, I should be retiring, but I have got no plans to do that. I'm excited about this challenge and I think my daughter will be a great success here," said David.
"We have a nice team already, we took all of the existing staff, as well as some new people.
"We also got a hotel designer to do the layout because I wanted to get the salon away from the normal look. There are heaps of salons down Moulsham Street but we are different."
David, who was born and bred in Suffolk, moved to Chelmsford after leaving school at 14.
It was his mum who suggested going into hairdressing to get a job, but David was not too convinced as he had thoughts about joining the Royal Navy.
But he admitted: "I went for my interview at Silhouettes, I looked down and all I could see was women and I thought – I'd quite like working here. That is how I fell into hairdressing."
David was one of the first outside students ever to train at the Vidal Sassoon academy.
He said: "I was very lucky I was asked to stay on a while longer and I worked nine months in salons across London, I would regularly see Twiggy and Lulu getting their hair done.
"I was just a little Suffolk lad, this was the first time I had been to London and I am hopping about Bond Street and Sloane Square meeting the biggest names in hairdressing."
David eventually made his way back to Chelmsford, when he decided he wanted to open his own salon. He began working out of premises on Widford Road while the David John salon, on Moulsham Street, was purpose-built in 1973.
But after years of successful trading, David admitted that he began to get "itchy feet" and opted for a career change for oyster farming.
"I love all aspects of farming as my dad was a farmer and I grew up on a farm," he said. "Did I get fed up of hairdressing? – no – but I just needed a change."
David recently began a project setting up the very first pigeon clinic in the county, in Colchester, with Dutch vet Henk Deweerd. He keeps racing pigeons, in high demand in China, selling for £250,000 each.
"I like to keep busy, but I also don't like to rush anything," he said. "That is why we have taken our time with this launch, although we have been open for a few months. I want to leave the general hairdressing up to these young kids, as I do believe hair is a young person's game."
Daughter Hayley Wrattern, 35, said: "I have learnt a lot of things about the hair industry already.
"I was in recruitment before, so hairdressing is like a very different world, but I have worked hard for the salon and I want this to be as big as it can be.
"I remember coming here and sweeping up the hairs with a broom bigger than me, thinking I was doing a really good job. There are many happy memories here, the place was always buzzing and that is what we will return to.
"I was adamant that we were going to keep the name David John, because everybody knows the name and plus it is my dad – now we're back and it's got to stay."
