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Gerards salon

1965: "Mr. Dennis" attends to Caroline Critchley

Gerard's Salon was an upmarket salon owned by the enigmatic Mr. Gerard. Dennis Tanner was employed there for a year between 1964 and 1965, after giving up on his showbiz career. Dennis, or "Mr. Dennis" as his clients called him, had no hairdressing experience and had to take a course first. The course cost £65, with Elsie paying the fee in order that her son could finally land a steady job. One year on, after being refused a pay rise by Gerard, Dennis applied for a stylist's job at Pepper's Salon only to be told by Mr Pepper that the diploma he'd obtained was a private one, meaning that he was only qualified to work at Gerard's. Feeling stitched up by his employer, Dennis immediately walked out on Gerard.

A world away from Coronation Street, Gerard's high prices meant that the salon rarely had a visit from one of Dennis's neighbours. In April 1965, Lucille Hewitt bugged Dennis to give her an appointment, even though he told her it would cost her six months' pocket money to have her hair done there. Dennis gave in when Lucille started telling the customers embarrassing stories about him. Sandra Petty was a regular client, requesting Dennis specially as she was in love with him and had kept a lock of hair she'd cut off his head. Occasionally, Dennis's working-class background marked him out. When posh clients Caroline Critchley and Jane Maxwell developed a flirtation with him in April 1965, they invited him along to Oulton Park for the day with their friends to carry on the joke, resulting in Dennis being humiliated.

Also on staff was Angela, a receptionist.

List of appearances[]

1965[]

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