(Updated) coronavirus plan: beauty salons in England will not reopen on July 4
UPDATE: Beauty salons, nail bars and spas in England are not on the list of businesses permitted to reopen on July 4 as hoped.
However, hairdressers and barbers were named among those businesses that will be allowed to reopen on July 4 as restrictions are further eased.
In his address today (June 23), Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the Government intended “to allow other close contact services, such as nail bars, to reopen as soon as we can, when we are confident they can operate in a Covid-secure way.”
Read why beauty salons won't reopen in England on July 4.
Why did beauty salons in England think they might be able to reopen on July 4?
Beauty salons in England were previously told they might be able to reopen their doors on July 4 if the UK Government’s three-phase road map to get the country out of coronavirus lockdown is successful.
“Personal care” businesses – aka beauty salons and hairdressers – could potentially reopen in phase three of the UK Government’s roadmap (which is estimated to begin on July 4) if the infection level is low enough and the scientific evidence says it’s safe to do so. These businesses will also have to meet the Government’s Covid-19 Secure guidelines.
Foreign secretary Dominic Rabb said on Sky News: “from July 4, at the earliest, subject to the conditions, we’ll look at other sectors, and that will include hospitality, but it will also include personal care and people like hairdressers”.
“Obviously, the proximity in those two sectors I’ve mentioned – hospitality and personal care – is something where we don’t think we’re ready yet given where we are with the virus.”
When are beauty salons and hairdressers reopening in Scotland, Wales and Ireland?
Beauty and hair salons in Northern Ireland can reopen on July 6 according to guidance from the Northern Ireland Executive, while beauty salons and hairdressers in Wales could potentially reopen on an “appointment-only” basis from July 13 – dependent on how the virus is progressing.
This action plan is not too dissimilar to that in Southern Ireland, where beauty salons, hairdressers and barbers are expected to reopen on July 20 as phase four of the Irish Government’s coronavirus plan.
First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon has revealed her route map for getting Scotland out of coronavirus lockdown, but personal retail services including beauty salons and hairdressers won’t reopen until phase three of the plan, with “appropriate distancing and hygiene measures”. However, no dates have been set for each phase.
“We can’t live this way forever,” said Sturgeon. “We all want to get back to some semblance of normality – whether that’s seeing our friends and family, getting back to work or school, or just being able to spend our free time in the way we want to.”
She added: “None of us want it to last any longer than it has to.” The phases to ease lockdown "are gradual and incremental and will be matched with careful monitoring of the virus".
Read the Scottish Government’s 46-page Covid-19 – Framework for Decision Making route map out of lockdown.