22 March 2020
NHBF – urgent action to request salon and barbershop closures
The Government issued instructions on Friday 20 March about which businesses must close but made no mention of hair salons, barbershops or beauty salons. The NHBF has urgently contacted a number of key government officials and departments (see details below) to ask for all salons and barbershops to be immediately added to the list of businesses that must close.
This is not a decision we have taken lightly and we fully understand how worried everyone in our industry is at the moment. Our priority is to protect our industry, colleagues, business owners, employees and clients from the further spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Some salons and barbershops have already taken the decision to close, and we believe that this is the right decision. Stylists, therapists and barbers are inevitably in close contact with a wide range of clients which means they cannot follow the government’s social distancing guidelines.
Financial support
The government has put in place financial help for business owners and the self-employed. Please find out what’s available before laying off staff. Find out more here and here.
We have urgently contacted:
- Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s private office.
- Department for Work and Pensions.
- Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.
- Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.
- Alok Sharma, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
We have been assured that our urgent request will be passed to Number 10 in time for Monday morning briefings.
We must work together to support each other and the country. We will update you as soon as we have any further news.