‘We will keep measures in place’: Northampton hair and beauty salon owners speak out ahead of relaxation of Covid rules

Many salons have invested a great deal of time and money into PPE and being able to socially distance
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A number of Northampton hair and beauty salon owners have spoken out about how they will react to the relaxation of Covid-19 rules.

From Monday (July 19), face masks and social distancing will no longer be a legal requirement and limitations on how many people can meet inside and out will be dropped.

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In theory this means that salons can ditch PPE and lose social distancing, however many who spoke to Chronicle & Echo said they will keep the measures in place despite there being no legal obligation, as they believe it is part of their responsibility to keep customers safe.

G&E McIntyre's intend to keep measure in place before reviewing them in a few weeks.G&E McIntyre's intend to keep measure in place before reviewing them in a few weeks.
G&E McIntyre's intend to keep measure in place before reviewing them in a few weeks.

Matt O’Neil-Kemp, owner of Naked Salon at the top of Drapery, said: “We will keep everything in place as we have young staff who are not fully vaccinated yet.

“Our clients are a diverse bunch, some might not want the vaccine so we need to keep them protected as well.

“All of our stations are a metre apart, so we are lucky in that respect, but we will keep clients at a distance from each other.

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“We will carry on with everything because we do not want to have to go back after we’ve been shut for so long and had so much to deal with.”

The owner of Naked Salon believes he has a responsibility to keep all clients safe.The owner of Naked Salon believes he has a responsibility to keep all clients safe.
The owner of Naked Salon believes he has a responsibility to keep all clients safe.

Another salon owner says customers and team members will be encouraged to keep wearing masks, but obviously they will not be able to enforce the suggestion any more.

Natalie Faulkner, who owns Beauty With Inn in St James, said: “We will keep things as they are and give customers the safety they have had for a while.

“They do not have to have a mask on, so we will be more relaxed, but I personally will still be wearing one and will encourage them to do the same.

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“I don’t think people will just stop wearing masks anyway. We’ve all got used to them.

Beauty With Inn will encourage people to continue wearing masks.Beauty With Inn will encourage people to continue wearing masks.
Beauty With Inn will encourage people to continue wearing masks.

“Our spacing between workstations will stay the same as customers are happier with that, but we had to reduce capacity and appointments so it will be good to get back to normal with that, but it will be done gradually.

“We will see how it goes.”

Other salons say they will keep measures in place for now and then review the situation in a few weeks.

Owner of G&E McIntyre in The Ridings, Gavin McIntyre, said: “We will not be changing much at the moment.

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“The team will still be in masks, we will keep social distancing in place and we will ask that clients wear masks too.

“I imagine a couple of people might defy this and we will not be able to enforce it but we will request that nothing changes.

“We have young members of staff who haven’t qualified for the vaccine and we have a duty of care to everyone.

“We will review it in a few weeks time if cases change," Gavin continued.

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