Beauty salons and nail bars can reopen next week, government says
Beauticians, tattooists, spas, tanning salons, and other close contact services can reopen from Monday 13 July in England.
Culture secretary Oliver Dowden made the announcement at the Downing Street briefing, saying it was “subject to some restrictions on particularly high-risk services”. Mr Dowden said the announcement symbolised “normal life is slowly returning.”
“Having allowed hairdressers to reopen, beauticians, tattooists, spas, tanning salons and other close contact services can now do the same, I’m pleased to say, from Monday,” Oliver Dowden told the Downing Street press conference.
“Of course that will be subject to some restrictions on particularly high-risk services.”
While restaurants, pubs, hairdressers other areas of the hospitality industry were allowed to open as of 4 July, the beauty industry has remained close since the implementation of the nationwide lockdown on 23 March. The delay in announcing the opening of this enormous and largely female-driven sector has led to accusations of sexism towards the government. According to The British Beauty Council, around 90 per cent of the beauty industry workforce is female.
During Prime Minister’s Questions last week, Boris Johnson’s response to an enquiry from William Wragg MP about when salons might be able to open, was labelled flippant and dismissive across social media.
“I am sure that one day I will go with my honourable friend to Lush Beauty, but it is a sad reality for many of those excellent businesses that they cannot yet open in the way they want,” said the prime minister.
The news will come as a welcome relief to salon owners and the industry workforce.
“The impact of the lockdown has already been absolutely crippling to the entire sector, which contributes around £7bn to the UK economy and many businesses will just not survive closure for much longer,” Lesley Blair, chair of BABTAC (the British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology), previously told The Independent. “It is an impossible situation because, while our industry is desperate to get back to work, we are also an industry that takes our duty of care for our clients very seriously and thus must be guided by scientific and government research and comply with them.”
The change in lockdown rules also included the reopening of gyms, sports facilities and indoor swimming pools from 25 July. Outdoor pools will also be able to open on 11 July.
Outdoor theatre and live performances will also be able to re-commence as of Saturday 11 July.
