A Norwich hairdressers will become one of the first in the city to adopt a genderless pricing structure.

Eastern Daily Press: StandenMay hair salon in Magdalen Street which is introducing genderless pricing. Picture: Lauren De Boise.StandenMay hair salon in Magdalen Street which is introducing genderless pricing. Picture: Lauren De Boise. (Image: Archant)

From January 2, 2020, customers at StandenMay salon in Magdalen Street, Norwich, will be charged simply on the length of their hair and desired style instead of whether they are male or female.

The change is intended to better reflect modern society and to take into account that customers' needs are based on individual factors, with co-owner Paul Standen-May describing gender as 'irrelevant'.

He said: "For years and years there has always been specific gender pricing. It has always been clichéd in the sense that if you're a lady then you would pay more than a guy.

Eastern Daily Press: Callum Standen-May, co-owner of StandenMay hair salon in Magdalen Street, which is introducing genderless pricing. Picture: Lauren De Boise.Callum Standen-May, co-owner of StandenMay hair salon in Magdalen Street, which is introducing genderless pricing. Picture: Lauren De Boise. (Image: Archant)

"Working in the industry with the team we have and the years of experience we have, we know that it has nothing to do with the person - it's the length and style of the haircut. We wanted to reflect that.

"It's something that has been on people's minds for a while. Occasionally we'll have a client who says 'I have it cut short so why to I pay the same price?'

"As soon as you start hearing those things, it makes sense."

Eastern Daily Press: Paul and Callum Standen-May, owners of StandenMay hair salon which is introducing genderless pricing. Picture: Lauren De Boise.Paul and Callum Standen-May, owners of StandenMay hair salon which is introducing genderless pricing. Picture: Lauren De Boise. (Image: Archant)

Mr Standen-May, 30, opened the salon in May 2017 with husband Callum and their faithful spaniel Sid, renting space to five other stylists across three floors.

They hope this progressive policy will catch on with others in the UK hairdressing industry.

He said: "It's 2020 - we've moved on from people being quite set in the styles that they have. It's going with a movement of trends and reflecting it in pricing.

Eastern Daily Press: StandenMay hair salon in Magdalen Street which is introducing genderless pricing. Picture: Lauren De Boise.StandenMay hair salon in Magdalen Street which is introducing genderless pricing. Picture: Lauren De Boise. (Image: Archant)

"For the diversity of the community and to include everyone is the main focus."

Salon manager Ellie Denny, 27, added: "The hairdressing industry, from a creative perspective, has always been quite androgynous. Men with long hair and women with short hair are not new to the industry, so why would be label it as such?

"We have such a mix of clients - we don't think we should price them based on their gender.

"We're presenting ourselves as a brand in the way that we want to be seen. We want to be seen as inclusive and friendly - somewhere that anyone can come in and have their hair done."