Beauty salons are keen to get back in business
AS soon as they were able to – a minute after the chime of midnight in the early hours of Saturday morning – two salon owners got to work treating one of their regular clients to a simultaneous wash and blow-dry and a manicure.
The Day Salon owner Racheal Day and Bijoux Boutique hairdressing salon owner Lynne Kendal-Falla pampered and preened one lucky lady at 12.01am and became potentially the first salons in the British Isles to re-open since lockdown.
Many individuals in the UK are constantly questioning at what date their local salon will reopen with DIY haircuts and beauty regimes being done at home, but here in Guernsey the pair were able to begin business again with their first client, Sue Naftel, since lockdown began on 25 March.
‘Sue uses both salons and we’d been joking throughout the lockdown as to how we could do her nails through her letterbox – the hair might have been more of a problem,’ said Mrs Day, who spent Friday juggling home-schooling with deep-cleaning and preparing her salon for business with her therapists.
‘Lynne and I thought it would be a fun thing to do to celebrate being allowed to open again.
‘We were tired before we started the treatments but then the adrenaline kicked in.’
Ms Kendal-Falla agreed.
‘After going through the 10 weeks of lockdown, I thought it would just be fun, it’s been quite a nervous time for everyone,’ she said.
‘We have got so much to thank the States of Guernsey for steering us all, expertly into this new phase four.
‘I also have to thank my team, they have been amazing, it is has been long journey – now we are back together working as a team.’
The initiative was picked up by local media, as well as interest from national papers, including The Sunday Times.
‘Guernsey has been getting some very positive publicity in the UK for its handling of the pandemic locally,’ added Mrs Day.
In yesterday’s Sunday Times, Guernsey was also praised again for its ‘test, track and trace approach’ with Public Health director Dr Nicola Brink credited with helping to stamp out Covid-19 in the island.
Despite lockdown the team at The Day Salon has remained busy with a delivery service of beauty products.
‘We’ve been working since week three of the lockdown after setting up a delivery service – we were amazed by the response from people who were desperate for beauty products,’ said Mrs Day.
‘Local taxi driver Colin Bush delivered direct to clients and it’s been really successful – so much so we’re planning to continue for the time being. We are so happy to be able to re-open and our clients are super-happy – we’ve had some lovely messages and calls.’
In the UK beauty salons are yet to open and under the government’s current Covid-19 recovery strategy is has been advised once they are, it will be no earlier than 4 July.
