When are hairdressers and barbers re-opening?

With lockdown restrictions slowly easing across the UK and non-essential retailers opening their doors once again, people are still wondering just when they might be able to get that long-awaited first post-lockdown haircut.

The reopening of hairdressers has been the subject of much speculation since lockdown began, so no doubt many will be relieved to hear that ministers are said to be in discussions about opening them sooner rather than later in a bid to boost the economy.

If you’re buzzing to get a professional trim, here’s what you need to know about their anticipated reopening date and the protective measures being discussed to help keep staff and customers safe from coronavirus.

When might hairdressers reopen?

While hairdressers are unlikely to open properly before next month, salons have been told that they can open from today – Monday 15 June – to sell products such as shampoos and hair treatments.

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However these can only be sold online, and collected outside the salon – with customers not allowed inside.

As far as opening for haircuts and other services go, it’s been established that salons won’t open until July 4 at the earliest – with hairdressers falling into phase three of the easing of lockdown restrictions.

When it comes to safety measures, it would be nigh-on impossible for there to be social distancing between someone having their hair cut and the person doing the cutting.

In lieu of a two-metre distance between those in the chairs and staff, the Department for Business (BEIS) has started drawing up guidance that will see hairdressers outfitted with ‘dentist-style’ PPE, including visors, face masks, and gloves.

Salon staff will also get advice on how to maintain social distancing.

Some of the other safety measures being discussed are thought to be similar to those observed in dental practices, such as Perspex barriers, staggered arrival and departure times, taking magazines out of waiting areas and keeping activity time as short as possible.

One source told The Telegraph: ‘Hairdressers were supposed to be the next thing. Boris has talked about unleashing the great British haircut again. It would be treated under similar rules to dentists.’

Number 10 did not rule out a June reopening, but maintained that no date has been finalised and Prime Minister Boris Johnson is ‘moving cautiously’ and ‘monitoring the situation extremely carefully’.

Last month, the Health Secretary said that the Government is doing ‘everything they can’ to get hairdressers open again.

Matt Hancock said: ‘We are working on what it would look like to have the protective equipment in place.

‘Hairdressing, like so many industries, we’re doing everything we can to support them through what is inevitably an incredibly difficult time.’

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