Hair salons urge leaders to let them go back to work

The plea comes after the evidence that guided the decision to order closures across the beauty and hospitality sectors was revealed.

It shows an assessment that the closure of close-contact businesses such as hairdressers and beauticians will have a low impact on transmission, with a potential reduction of the R number of 0.05.

The closures were announced last week as part of a four-week circuit-break to push down the rapidly increasing spread of coronavirus.

Stormont is aiming to reduce the R number by 0.5 to below one.

Therefore, according to recent estimates from Northern Ireland’s chief scientific adviser Professor Ian Young, closing the hair and beauty industry represents 10% of what is required to do that.

An online petition has been started to reopen the industry, signed by more than 4,000 people so far.

Sean Lawlor, owner of the Cambridge Barbershop, said the decision to close the industry has been “gut wrenching”.

He said the sector is “one of the most safest, hygienic and controlled environments” after thousands were spent on safety measures.

Mr Lawlor also warned of the potential for some businesses to re-open despite the regulations.

“The figures released this week clearly show that we will have very little impact on the R number but this closure will have a major impact on businesses and livelihoods around the country,” he said.

“My message to our leaders is: why did you shut us down when you had this evidence? Your support packages could be put toward NHS … let us go back to work and earn our own money.

“Now that we have this evidence of how our closure will have a low impact on the R number and we already have had in place our strict hygiene regulations, it has been said within our industry that if this decision is not overturned, we will open up for business.”

Jeff Faulkner, joint owner of the Paul Meekin Hair and Beauty Salon in east Belfast, said they had not had a single Covid case traced to the salon.

He lambasted political leaders for “failing” to speak to those in the industry.

“I find it astonishing that we have elected representatives who have so little respect for the electorate and business owners … they are failing the people of Northern Ireland, they are failing to engage with us and failing to provide the support that we need.

“From what I can see there was absolutely no reason for close contact such as hair and beauty salons to be closed because 0.05 is something like 10% and churches are 0.1 so that’s 20%.

“Sometimes I feel like the Executive is like a children’s party where they all put blindfolds on and try to pin the tail on the donkey – and that’s how they are making the decisions. There is no rhyme or reason to the process.”

Mr Faulkner said Stormont ministers have an unenviable task of trying to balance health and the economy, but urged them to fight for Northern Ireland.

“Political leaders in other regions of the UK are standing up to the Government and saying, ‘you are not giving us enough, we do not have enough to give the poorest in society’,” he said.

“I am not and never have been a Labour supporter but I think Andy Burnham is showing great leadership.”