The owners of The Secret Garden Salon in Leicester have spoken out after their Pride flag was stolen for the sixth time, in what they describe as an upsetting and targeted act of vandalism.
The flag, which hangs outside the independent salon in Clarendon Park, was taken despite being installed higher up the building following previous incidents. The salon is known locally as a safe, inclusive and gender-neutral space, particularly for members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Co-owned by George Waterfield and Darren Cunningham, the salon has suffered repeated attacks, which have become very distressing, not just for them but for their clients and the wider community too.
George said: “This is now the sixth time our Pride flag has been stolen or vandalised, and it’s heartbreaking that this keeps happening. It feels targeted and it makes both us and our customers feel singled out in a place that is meant to be safe and welcoming. It’s upsetting that someone would go out of their way to remove something that stands for love, inclusion and belonging.”
After previous incidents, the salon reinstalled the flag higher up the building in the hope it would deter vandals. However, the latest theft has shown that the problem persists.
The latest incident happened just five months after the last act of vandalism on the salon. In September 2025, a man dressed in black and wearing a balaclava climbed the front of the salon in broad daylight to tear down the Pride flag and throw it in a bin across the road. Rather than staying silent, the salon shared the footage on social media to highlight that this was happening in their city, which quickly gained thousands of views and led to coverage from national media.
While the incident was reported to police due to safety concerns, the response from the community was overwhelmingly positive, with pride flags posted through the salon door and messages of support and locals they had never met who came to stand with them.
The salon turned the moment into a public show of solidarity, relaunching the flag with a community gathering with drag queens and around 140 local people.
Darren explains: “What has kept us going every time is the kindness of the community. Last time, people we’d never met made a point of showing their support and standing with us. It was a reminder that Leicester is full of love and allies.”
Despite the repeated vandalism, George and Darren say they will not be intimidated into silence.
George adds: “We will not back down. We will keep putting the flag back up. Inclusive salons are so important, and acts of vandalism like this remind us why. Our salon represents safety and belonging for so many people, and that’s what matters more than ever.”
The salon continues to operate as normal and remains committed to providing a warm, inclusive environment for all clients.
The Secret Garden Salon is a queer-owned, gender-neutral, independent business that has become a well-known safe space within Leicester’s Clarendon Park community. George and Darren hope that by speaking openly, the incident will spark conversations about inclusion, respect and the importance of community support.