That’s the first question we’re asking St Helens Star readers this week as we launch our Best of 2023 competition.

Following the hugely successful Best of 2022 campaign where we crowned 20 St Helens winners, the competition is back for another year.

From fish and chips to fitness, pies to pizzas and roast dinners to restaurants, we will be asking you, our readers, which venue or business deserves to take each title.

The past few years have been incredibly difficult for businesses across the town, with many forced to close their doors, shut up shop or furlough staff because of lockdown restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic.

And now with the cost-of-living crisis having a further impact on recovery and future trading, we want to help recognise the efforts of local businesses in the town who have continued to provide the best customer service despite their ongoing challenges.

Who will win St Helens' Best for Hair 2023? (Image: Newsquest)

Every week, we’ll launch a new category and then put together a shortlist before giving you the chance to vote for your favourite.

As well as some of the most popular categories from last year like Best for Beauty, Best Independent Shop and Best Burger, we’ve added a few new ones to the competition.

The first category is Best for Hair so we want you to tell us which salon or barbershop, mobile hairdresser or independent stylist should make our shortlist and why.

We know how many talented stylists there are working in the town so it will be no easy feat to choose a winner, which is why we’ll be handing over the final decision to those who know best – our readers.

HOW IT WORKS:

Each Friday morning we will reveal new categories via our social media pages and ask you who is the best. Nominations will then close the following Monday morning at 12pm.

Every Thursday we will publish a shortlist of finalists with voting officially opening.

You will be able to vote in one of three ways:

- By commenting under the relevant post on our St Helens Star Facebook, Twitter or Instagram pages = 1 vote

- By entering via the online article on our St Helens Star website = 2 votes

- By entering via our St Helens Star newspaper = 5 votes

The following Wednesday evening we will announce the winner of that category on social media.

Usual Newsquest competition rules apply.

For more details go to newsquest.co.uk/terms

So, get in touch with your salon or stylist nominations and tell us who is amazing enough to be one of our Best Of 2023 finalists.

To make your nomination go to facebook.com/sthelensstar, find us on Instagram @sthelensstar or find us on Twitter @sthelensstar

Alternatively you can email your nomination, telling us the name of the salon or stylist, where they are based and why they deserve to be shortlisted, to heidi.summerfield@newsquest.co.uk

Don’t forget to keep an eye on our website and our social media each Friday morning, when we will launch a new Best of 2023 search and then every Thursday to vote for your favourite from our shortlist.