Leicester Queer Salon's Pride Flag Vandalized for Sixth Time in Three Years

An LGBTQ+ Pride flag displayed outside a queer hair salon in Leicester has been torn down for the sixth time in only three years, with the latest incident captured on surveillance footage. The Secret Garden Hair salon, owned by George Waterfield, 30, and Darren Cunningham, 34, has faced repeated vandalism targeting the intersex-inclusive flag since making their Clarendon Park establishment gender-neutral in 2023.

CCTV Footage Reveals Early Morning Theft

CCTV footage shared with media shows two men walking along Queens Road at approximately 5:35 AM on Sunday when they notice the flag. One man climbs a utility pole to reach the flag flying from a bracket drilled into the salon wall. The surveillance video clearly shows the individual snapping the flagpole off while the second man appears to take photographs. After descending the pole, the perpetrator drops the flag on the ground before retrieving it and fleeing the scene.

George Waterfield, who appeared on ITV2's dating show The Cabins in 2021, discovered the flag missing yesterday. 'Darren went into work and knew straight away it was gone,' he explained. 'We looked at the CCTV and lo and behold, two grown people are ripping down the flag, standing on each other's shoulders. This isn't our first rodeo – we've had this happen six times now, which is insane.'

Pattern of Repeated Vandalism

The salon has experienced multiple incidents of flag theft and damage over the past three years:

In September, a man cycled toward the salon specifically to tear down the flag, even cycling over it before fleeing
Only weeks after that incident, the flag was stolen again
The most recent theft occurred just five months after the previous incident

'It's insane,' Waterfield emphasized, noting the disturbing pattern of behavior targeting their visible symbol of LGBTQ+ inclusion.

Creating a Gender-Neutral Safe Space

The couple transformed their salon into a gender-neutral establishment in 2023, eliminating separate booking options for 'gents' or 'ladies' cuts. 'We think it's a thing of the past, genderising haircuts,' Waterfield stated. 'You should be paying for what haircut you are having, not for what gender you are. Our gender fluid clientele have a safe space to come to and by flying the flag it shows safety when in the salon and no judgement.'

For transgender clients especially, a haircut can represent significant emotional weight, helping them feel more comfortable and affirmed. Many traditional salons specialize in only one gender or have even turned away trans and non-binary clients despite existing bookings.

Broader Context of LGBTQ+ Safety in the UK

The United Kingdom has experienced a notable decline in LGBTQ+ friendliness according to international rankings. Once ranked as the most LGBTQ+ friendly place in Europe on the annual Rainbow Map, the country has fallen 22 places over the past decade, ranking 22nd out of 49 countries last year.

Key factors contributing to this decline include:

The erosion of transgender rights, including limited healthcare options for trans youth
Proposed school guidelines requiring parental and teacher approval for social transitions, including haircuts
A years-long increase in anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes, with over 18,000 sexual orientation-motivated hate crimes and more than 3,000 transphobic hate crimes recorded in the year up to March 2025

Resilience and Response

Despite the repeated vandalism, Waterfield remains determined to maintain visibility. 'We'll be hanging the pride flag back up, and we will be flying it with pride,' he declared. 'This is what we stand for and no one is going to stop us.'

Leicestershire Police confirmed they received a report about the stolen LGBTQ+ flag from outside the salon on Avenue Road Extension. 'Officers are carrying out enquiries into the incident, including reviewing CCTV footage,' a police spokesperson stated.

The incident highlights ongoing challenges facing LGBTQ+ businesses and communities despite progress in visibility and rights. The repeated targeting of this symbolic flag represents both localized harassment and broader national trends affecting queer safety and inclusion in public spaces.