Ginger Group

I originally called the Ginger Group at Westfields to arrange an appointment and was put off by an incredibly rude woman on the phone. I called around looking for some other options but finally decided to make an appointment there after all due to the convenience of the location and the insistence of friends that the Ginger Group was actually a very nice salon. I turned up for my appointment and was kept waiting almost a quarter of an hour then found my hairdresser to be very condescending (it had been a while since I last got a cut) and unfriendly as well. The reason I'm giving three stars is that the cut was actually very well done but at £45 for a cut and dry, it would be nice to have a little bit of friendly personality along with a nice cut.

I went to Ginger Group Westfield yesterday on a Groupon deal for a Brazilian Blow dry, cut and finish. I had no problems in there at all - although the stylist who did my hair wasn't very talkative she did an excellent job.


The whole process took just under two hours and was considerably better than the Brazilian blowdry I'd had at another London salon 8 months previously. She took a lot of time and care cutting my hair exactly how I wanted it, shaped it nicely and then put the keratin treatment on. She blowdried each segment carefully, checking that it was looking okay. I was really pleased with the results.


I did find the low chairs a nuisance but I didn't feel it left me out of control with my hair.


I would definitely return here.

I booked an appointment at Ginger Group in Westfield after needing a last-minute appointment to colour my hair. I arrived to find an empty salon and two women smoking vapour cigarettes on a couch. I asked for the hairdresser who I'd pre-booked online, only to be told that he wasn't in on that day. With no explanation whatsoever, I was led to a chair where two women started slapping bleach on my hair before I'd even finished telling them what I wanted. They were extremely rough and seemed to want to get it done in the shortest amount of time possible, with one of them bringing tears to my eyes with the verocity with which she pulled and combed my hair.

After only 5 minutes of bleach slapping, I was left in the chair and given a few magazines. After reading all three cover to cover and thinking that surely someone should care to check upon my hair, I started to look about to see what they were all doing. One woman was doing her makeup in a mirror, another was smoking again and a third who had just come in had decided to put loud rap music on her tinny phone. At this point I was feeling more like I was in a youth centre than a top salon.

When someone finally came over and decided 'um yeah..we should probably wash this off now', I was taken over to the wash basins, where all of the 'stylists' (I use this in very loose terms) decided to congregate on the other wash basin chairs, laughing, joking, and, you guessed it....smoke more vapour cigarettes.

By this time I was more than irate and wanted the experience to be over as soon as possible. They seemed very unsure about which toner to use, and even more unsure about when to wash it off. When they finally gave me the roughest rough blowdry I've ever had, I looked in the mirror to see a bright yellow nest of what used to be my hair (I'd asked for white blonde).

To top everything off, they tried to charge me 115 pounds (which I now realise was a huge overcharge). I asked for the 15% off for booking online via the website, and they reluctantly gave me this. I ran home and bought two boxes of toner to try and correct my hair, which thank god, I managed to do.

Needless to say, this was the most overpriced, rudely staffed and inexperienced salon I've ever been to and I strongly advise anyone else to take their business elsewhere.

I saw this salon in Westfield and thought it looked nice so I rang to make an appointment for highlights. The woman on the phone was really abrupt and it made alarm bells ring. After I made the appointment I looked for reviews of this salon online and found mainly bad reviews. I bottled it and cancelled it. I know the receptionist does not cut hair but it put me off! Think I'll give this place a miss!

I went to this salon only a couple of months ago. It was on a whim as I was going out that evening and wanted to perk myself up a bit.


I had no appointment and they managed to fit me in after only waiting for 5 mins (with a drink and magazine I might add.) I was treated plesantly as soon as I arrived and never made to feel like I was putting them out with my last minute request to squeeze me in.


The young guy who did my hair was lovely. Really friendly and polite even though it was midday on a Saturday and they were clearly rushed off their feet.


The decor inside was gorgeous although I felt there were a few layout problems. This is mainly down to them being pushed for space in a premium location.


I had a wash and blowdry which the young guy spend an awful lot of time on. I have difficult hair which I know can be a pain to style, but he seemed to take enjoyment in the process and even offered me an extra hair treatment for free - which unfortunately I didn't have time for. He was also keen to share styling tips and give me the lo-down on new products they were getting in.


When it came to the bill I felt that it was quite expensive, especially as I usually have my hair cut and blowdried by the senior stylist at Lee Staffords for the same a blowdry here. This was the only main drawback really. Other than that I have no complaints.

This is the 3rd time I've gone here & the 3rd time they've charged me for a creative director cut when I only booked in with a senior stylist & over charge me. The hairdresser are no good, one director couldn't even tell if I had layers. They're always running so late & all round It's a terrible experience. Don't go here!

I literally just rang these guys to book an appointment for a cut & colour which I had picked up through Groupon.
I asked what their availablility was like next week & the girl was pleasant & offered me a choice of two appointments. As the girl on the phone had not enquired what treatment I wanted, I asked her whether there would be time for a cut and colour. She then asked whether it would be a full tint or a head of highlights, to which my response was "I'm not sure - what does the Groupon voucher allow?"
At which point, the receptionist's manner totally changed; she retaracted her offer of 2pm next Thursday & informed me that they were not taking Groupon bookings until February 2011.
Not especially helpful, as my voucher is due to expire in November.
I was so taken aback that I aked her to clarify that if I were a straight-forward customer, it would have been fine - but becuase I had a Groupon voucher I wasn't allowed an appointment & she confirmed that this was correct.
I am appauled at The Ginger Group's unwillingless to accommodate a special offer which I purchased in good faith - and now quite wary of Groupon as a company.

Absolutely the worst hairdressing experience I have ever had. Unbelievably rude and unattentative staff. I waited 15 minutes for someone to come to the front desk to receive me as the staff all seemed too busy chatting to bother to come over even though I made eye contact with three of them when I came in.

The staff seemed completely disinterested and disgruntled and then told me because I was 5 minutes late I wouldn't be able to get the full treatment I had booked for (even though this was due to noone coming to serve me and I had booked a two hour time slot to get highlights done). I was told they only had time to do a trim in the remaining time.

The salon was not even busy and they were taking many walk-ins so I was really disappointed the staff just didn't seem to care.

The girl washing my hair was so rough and I got no head massage as advertised. The trim took 10 minutes with no conversation or care at all. I was so disappointed for the price. As I had a big event to go to on the weekend I ended going elsewhere to get it re-done as could not trust the dismal hairdressers to fix it.

I had an appointment here this morning. I tried to show my Groupon code through the app on my phone (never a problem before) and was told quite bluntly that I would have to provide a printout. Unbelievably, I was then instructed to walk to the local library and print it out there! There was a queue for the computers and I didn't have the correct change for the printer. Couldn't face going back to sit in such an unwelcoming atmosphere for two hours so I just left. A good salon makes you feel welcome and relaxed, not stressed out and harassed. If only I'd read these reviews before buying.

THE GINGER GROUP - TERRIBLE is the least I could say about my experience with the Ginger Group. My hair is permanently damaged and the front looks exactly like a tough copper bathtub scourer. I have no way to hide it. I have read reviews of them and sadly, I don't seem to be their first victim. They are horrible and I will never go back.
Their email inbox must be full - no reply from them till now. I even tried ordinary mail and still no reply.
If it was the eBay system, I would have given them a big fat red negative feedback - they aren't even worth the 1 star.
They were rubbish and with the kind of employees they've got, will definitely still struggle & disappoint customers for a long time.
Do yourself a favour - STAY AWAY FROM THE GINGER GROUP


EMAIL BELOW SENT TO GROUPON & THE GINGER GROUP
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I bought The Ginger Group deal on the 19th of August, 2010 and went for my surprisingly 3.5 hour long hair appointment at the Westfield branch at the beginning of September.
This is by far the worst hair cut I've ever got. My long hair was literally chopped uneven and not to the length I specifically requested.
I asked for full head of highlights but instead she bleached my hair followed by a full head colour. Mmm by the way, after washing my hair, I was given a comb and told to comb my hair myself a serious first in any hair salon. The guys started cleaning and the girls gossiping.
While doing my hair, the hairdresser and the receptionist were blatantly talking about how annoying it is to have to do my hair for only £39 and that the offer shouldn't have been put up on Groupon. I was appalled by the lack of respect, non-existent customer service and unprofessionalism. It clearly looks like the service offered to me was only to the £39 cash value of my voucher and not more.
My lovely hair which turned orange within the same week is now as frizzy, dry and rough as a metallic brush. It's just awful. The treatment to have my hair repaired and conditioned will definitely cost me more than what I've already spent on the deal. I am very disappointed and feel that this should be taken further and known by the company and public.
The deal also mentioned that a goodie bag worth £20 will be given. No such thing! Upon leaving when I asked about it, I was given puzzled looks and told that it wasn't part of the deal, when I showed them the voucher, I was told that there must be a mistake and that they don't have any in stock two definitely different and confusing answer. I left with nothing by the way, just the Kerastase product I purchased at the counter.
Now I wished I went for the Biolustre damage repair part of the deal as all they did was damage my hair.
This was all a horror adventure at The Ginger Group and it looks like I'm living a Halloween nightmare.


DID ANYBODY GET THEIR PROMISED GOODIE BAG???