There are reports of busy hair salons and beauticians around the country today as people attempt to attend appointment before new Covid-19 restrictions come into force.
Level 5 restrictions will see all non-essential retail and businesses shuttered, including hairdressers and beauticians.
Danielle Kennedy of the Irish Hairdressers Federation said that salons have been inundated with last-minute appointments since word of new restrictions spread.
In March when we were closing, our clients didn’t want to come into the salon for that week before we closed, they were very nervous.
“In March when we were closing, our clients didn’t want to come into the salon for that week before we closed, they were very nervous, they were very hesitant,” she said.
“Whereas this time when the news came on Thursday of a possible closure, the clients, they’re flocking to the salons.
“Demand started on Friday, started Friday afternoon, so we had the weekend, we know a lot of our members opened up on Sunday, the ones that would normally be closed on Monday opened up,” Ms Kennedy said.
Black market
It comes as one hairdresser has warned that a “black market” for hairdressing may emerge over the next few weeks as salons are closed and people seek to visit hairdressers in their homes.
“We had an argument with the Government and representatives about this in the last lockdown, what they’re doing is they are creating a black market,” Dylan Bradshaw, Creative Director of Dylan Bradshaw Salon, said.
“The problem I have, somebody reached out to me yesterday saying that they got a call from a person, a call to their home and have been tested positive,” Mr Bradshaw said.
“So how do we, really in the bigger picture of things, how do we control this.”
