Betrayers and 007s at Saks
Our 2026 Salon Owners Conference was TWISTY. From 4–6 October, our owners, HQ team, creative leaders Luke Pluckrose and Clare Murphy and mates from L’Oréal Professionnel rocked up at Cameron House, Loch Lomond for a weekend of mystery, skullduggery and fun. Trust your longstanding mates in the Saks fam? Not quite. Read on….
LOCATION LOCATION
Set within 400 acres on the shores of Loch Lomond, Cameron House blends classic Scottish charm with panoramic surroundings. Fantastic food. Spa. Golf course. Lochside rambles and SCENERY. Plenty to enjoy around our main events.
BETRAYERS AT SAKS
We dived straight into a Traitors-style team challenge. Alliances were formed and people were questioned. Surprising how quickly we all started pointing fingers at the ones we know and love. A fast-paced, totally chaotic afternoon that got the weekend off to a riotous start.
NOT the winning team
Debbie McLaughlin, National Accounts Manager at L’Oréal Professionnel, says: “A wonderful time was had with Saks at Cameron House. Spending time together connecting is so important , and we are proud to be Business Partners with Saks.
“A truly unforgettable experience with Traitors-themed team building, to speed boating across Loch Lomond while testing our knowledge and creativity within each task. Teamwork at its best!
‘Being in a room full of business leaders hearing the passion and drive everyone has for their salons and teams while ensuring they create beautiful experiences for every client is inspiring. Thank you for having us; we loved spending time with you all. Here’s to the next get-together.’
The winning team:
Debbie McClaughlin – L’Oréal Professionnel
Joanne Snowball – HQ
Nicola Hughes – Chester
Philip Harkins – Aberdeen
Rachel Banks – Lincoln
Reece Longston – Cheadle
And the betrayer who rocked the whole activity without being detected was… stealthy Simon Folkes of Barnard Castle, of course!
Caption: “Arrrrrrgh”
007 SKYFALL LOCH LOMOND
No rest for the betrayer-catchers. Day two brought espionage to Saks as we stepped into the world of James Bond for an adventure inspired by the local iconic Skyfall landscapes.
In 4x4s and fast boats, we battled to track down undercover actors, completing Bondesque challenges as we zipped around the loch. Include enjoying hilltop cocktails overlooking the loch, martinis, shaken and not stirred. The day wrapped up with prize-giving and the chance to relive some of the more entertaining moments.
The Winning Team:
Alice Hayley – Guisborough
Jane Myers-Lewis – Yarm
John Goddard – Skipton
Paul Calladine – Doncaster
Trinity Duffield-Pugsley – L’Oreal Professionnel.
Out and about and CHEERS
HASTA LA VISTA, BABY
Mission complete, we traded fast boats for a table at La Vista. There were views over the marina and the loch, Hearty BBQ-style grub and plenty of toasts. Translation: party on, Saks-style!
DOSSIER FROM CHEADLE-BOND
Reece at Saks Cheadle sent in a full dossier about his weekend: “Day one, we got straight into being Betrayers. Based on my bell-ringing skills in the ‘guess the nursery rhyme’ challenge, it’s a good job I picked hairdressing as a career and not music.
“I’d describe day two as a spy-themed scavenger hunt. When Kelly Clarkson said ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’, she’d clearly never rattled around in the back of a Land Rover off-road, uphill after too many glasses of red wine the night before. Then we headed into the village with a list of items and photos to collect; who would’ve thought that our hairdressing people-skills would come in handy for asking a stranger in the street to borrow their dog for a photo!
“Then by speedboat to an island to test our communication skills with a blindfolded challenge. Losing my hat in the middle of the loch and having to finish the journey with a receding hairline exposed is what I imagine the contestants on “Naked and Afraid” feel like.
“Such a good laugh from start to finish and it’s always amazing to catch up, share advice and take new ideas to take back to the salon. Can’t wait to see what’s up your sleeve for the next one, Janet King!”
NO words
THE SAKS FAMILY
A plot twist of our own. After a weekend of double-crossing and high-speed boat chases, the real winner was the Saks family.
Running a salon can be a lot. Times like this are a reminder that our owners don’t do it alone. Fantasy rivals by day were longstanding friends at dinner. New owners were also welcomed in – hello Hannah at Tees Barrage and Elaine at Perth.
Vicki at Hull: “27 YEARS with Saks and our conferences (fun weekends together) just get better, funnier and ideal for making more franchisee friendships.”
Rachel at Lincoln says: “Totally agree with Vicki. I had a fab couple of days catching up with people. Everyone was on great form. The activities were fun, the weather was kind to us and the scenery and hotel were beautiful. Another big Saks memory.”
Lottie, new co-owner at Yarm since October 2025, adds: “We had a blast. I’ve gone to lots of awards parties but this was my first conference. Great to speak to people as a franchisee! Trying new things, meeting new people, and making unforgettable memories.”
That’s what being part of Saks means: the support, friendships, and craic along with our big awards bashes and mad weekends like this one!
Kudos to our head of marketing, Janet King, for yet another brilliant Saks event.
Betrayers? Not in this family. Apart from Simon. We’ll keep an eye on That One.
INDEPENDENT SALON OWNERS
If it’s feeling lonely doing it alone, joining Saks could be a clever step for you. Sharing the wins, the worries, the stuff only other owners understand. It all hits differently when you’re backed by Saks HQ and part of a network of like-minded and let-your-hair-down salon-owning people. For more info visit saks.co.uk/join-the-saks-family/, email ownasalon@saks.co.uk or call 0845 678 0290.