An Ipswich beauty academy is warning that young girls could undergo “botched treatments” as a result of salons being forced to remain closed – as it campaigns for the industry to reopen on July 4.
On Saturday July 4, pubs and hairdressers are among the list of businesses which will be allowed to reopen their doors after months of closure due to coronavirus, while beauty salons and nail bars will controversially remain shut.
Boris Johnson announced on Tuesday that hairdressers would have to wear face visors to maintain safety measures, but he also said he will review the reopening of beauty salons at a later date.
MORE: What is changing on July 4?The news has been met with dismay by salon owners and nail technicians across Suffolk – with The Beauty Academy in Ipswich’s Duke Street helping launch a national campaign called ‘The Forgotten Industry’ to try and revoke the decision.
Col Rivers, who owns the beauty salon and training academy with his partner Nicolla Dorn, said he is concerned some young people will feel pressured to get illegal treatments or “botched jobs”, as a result of professional salons remaining shut and the lockdown easing.
He explained: “As the pubs are reopening on July 4, people are likely to want eyelash extensions and eyebrow procedures, so they may turn to people providing it at home, illegally or botched jobs.
“It is much more safe for salons to reopen so people can have these treatments done in a controlled and safe environment.”
Col said he doesn’t understand the reasons behind the decision to keep salons shut, adding that “beauty salons are more highly sterile than hairdressers”.
“We are one to one in our salon for our micro pigmentation and micro blading treatments,” explained Col, who opened the academy three years ago.
“We have always used PPE in our salon, this is not new for us, and we are trained in cross contamination.”
MORE: Beauty industry ‘in the dark’ as hairdressers prepare to reopenHe said he feels like they are “the forgotten industry” and admitted that the announcement came as a big shock.
He has since been seeking help from Ipswich MP Tom Hunt, who Col said is “100% backing him” and is preparing to take the businesses concerns to parliament.
Col said: “The whole thing has been a huge kick in the teeth. But Tom Hunt has been so supportive and we are hopeful that the tide may change.
“The worst case scenario is that we are not allowed to open until August, which would cause a lot of businesses to possible close for good.”
Col thinks the decision was made to reopen pubs and hairdressers as they “campaigned harder” than other industries.
“We feel excluded,” he explained. “I am glad they are reopening but I cannot understand how people are expected to behave and abide by social distancing rules when drinking alcohol, yet we are not allowed to reopen?”
The Prime Minister said he would make an announcement regarding the beauty industry, including nail bars, “at a later date”.
MORE: From a 24-hour salon to no more waiting areas – how hairdressers are preparing to reopen
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