On 'Super Saturday', the day the hospitality sector and hairdressers reopened, Prime Minister Boris Johnson had a haircut and went to the pub. Since then, many have done the same, pouring out of bars and crowding busy streets, hair newly trimmed. And last night the Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden announced that we're about to experience another lifting of lockdown restrictions in coming weeks. Swimming pools with be reopening from tomorrow and gyms will be open from 25th July.
Emily Ewart-Perks, co-founder of Secret Spa, an at-home beauty service, feels there has been a lack of understanding from the Government. ‘The beauty industry contributes more to the British economy than the car industry,’ she says. ‘They talk about industries being “Covid-secure”, but we’ve been ready for what feels like months now. We’ve done all the training and all the Government-recommended hygiene courses.
Sharmadean Reid MBE, founder of Wah Nails and CEO of Beautystack, tells Grazia she knows beauty professionals who have taken jobs in supermarkets during lockdown to make ends meet. 'I have been speaking to beauty professionals who have taken jobs in nearby supermarkets during lockdown to make ends meet or have applied for Universal Credit. They don't have white collar jobs that allow them to work from home.