Allie Henshall (Sarah Parish) and Gavin Ferraday (Jason Merrells) are partners in love and business. They own Henshall Ferraday hair salon, where Allie's sisters Darcey (Angela Griffin) and Sydney (Sian Reeves) work alongside them. As Allie and Gavin consider taking over a vacant property across the road, they are rocked by the news that a rival hairdresser has bought it. To make matters worse, Allie discovers that the new salon, Blade Runner, is run by her ex, Finn, and his wife, Mia Bevan (Amanda Holden). Finn fathered the child Allie claimed to have aborted. He left her when he found out she was pregnant, but he's back in town to try and woo Allie.