Beautician furious after return of services suspended by Government
A Bressingham beautician has spoken of her despair following the Government’s decision to suspend the reopening of certain beauty treatment businesses this month.
Last month, all beauty salons were told they could begin ‘high risk services’; such as facials, eyebrow waxing and tinting on August 1, only weeks later to be told that decision was suspended until August 15 at the earliest, due to recent large spike in coronavirus cases.
The U-turn has sparked outcry from beauticians and salon owners who were eagerly waiting to get back to their normal services.
Joanne Hearle, who runs Bressingham Beauty Salon, criticised the Government’s “poor judgment” following the decision, after she had invested £2,500 ahead of her anticipated reopening.
“I was phenomenally excited to be opening back up again,” said Miss Hearle, who has run her salon in Fen Street since March 2018.
“I’m furious and disappointed with this – I’m losing out on a lot of money. I started preparations in June, and had a busy diary plan, and now that’s gone because I’m having to rearrange appointments with my customers.
“I purchased brand new equipment, new PPE, masks and lots of extra disposable equipment. I had a new website made up, with everything on it and together we came up with a Covid-19 form that all customers have to fill in prior to their treatment to ensure their safety and security”
In spite of the Government’s recent U-turn, Miss Hearle is still planning to reopen on August 17, and will be offering permitted services such as nails, manicures, pedicures, waxing, spa massages and body therapy, but said that without the ability to do facial treatments her business will suffer.
“I’m allowed to do everything else on my treatments menu, but I’m not allowed to do any facials, facial massage nor facial waxing which is the main bread and butter of my business,” said the 38-year-old.
“It’s tough, but I’m hopeful my customers are still here, and they aren’t going anywhere – I think this virus has made people a little bit more aware of minute changing circumstances. It’s frustrating really as I can’t plan nor do anything properly on that side of my business – it’s stressful.”
Miss Hearle expects that come August 15 the Government will only push back the date for services to return even further, insisting that beauty salons lie at the bottom of the list of priorities in Downing Street.
“They’re wrong to have reversed the decision, and I think they’ll push it back even further,” she said.
“It’s frustrating because they’ve decided to open up the pubs and the restaurants, but beauty salons are at the bottom of the pecking order.
“When you go into a beauty salon, everyone respects the distance; we are covering our faces and necks.
“But the Government aren’t taking what anyone is doing on board within the beauty industry – I don’t understand what planet they’re on.
“As much as I want to be optimistic, they have made such poor decisions – things have to change.”