Chesterfield hairdressers react to calls for June reopening of salons

Hairdressers have been closed since the lockdown began on March 24 and the earliest they will currently be allowed to open is July 4.

The Hair and Barber Council, which represents 11,000 salons nationally, says most of its members would be ready by mid-June and has urged the Government to speed up their reopening.

However, some Chesterfield hairdressers we spoke to say they are concerned about the safety of staff and customers.

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Jane Walsh, of Isle Beauty and Training, said: “We are not essential workers or key workers. Our work is very hands-on so a rule of two-metre distancing, even one-metre is not at all possible.

“It is said that close contact for more than 15 mins could lead to an 80 per cent chance of infection if the client has Covid-19 and isn’t aware of it.

“The extra time taken to disinfect between clients means less clients so less money and added expense to treatments for the added PPE.

“If we can’t be within a metre of our nearest and dearest why would we be put at risk to do hands on treatments that will take longer than 15 minutes?

“As I teach as well as doing treatments it is impossible for me to teach without being hands-on to give my student the best education.

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“I’ve had a conversation with a friend who has a salon in Sheffield and her mother who runs a barbers and they are of the exact same opinion.

“I certainly won’t be venturing back into my business on the June 15.”

Kelly and Paige Stevenson, joint owners of Kelly-Paige Hair Salon at Holmewood, said they would be waiting for Government guidelines on safety.

“We would love to open but we are going to wait because health is more important,” they said.

Less Than Zero Barbers in Chesterfield said in a statement: “Although we have sufficient PPE and have amended the services on offer for the barbershop to run safely as possible, we will not open unless the Government and industry bodies say we can.”

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