Hair cuts are in high demand and the hairdressers and barbers of Harrogate are ready to serve their clients but the experience will have changed.
Many will reopen today with all members of staff wearing visors. Chairs have been placed within a one metre distance or screens have been put in between stations to maintain safety for staff and customers. The usual expectations that accompany a hair cut such as drinks and magazines won’t be available.
The new experience could see clients being asked to wear masks, their coats and bags placed in paper bags to combat cross-contamination and one barber shop said they won’t be offering bear trims or hair washing.
Michael Mackinnon is the owner of the Barber & Mack in Harrogate, said:
“We filled up the first two weeks within the first 24 hours we have split day shifts with three barbers at a time to ensure we are all spaced out. Each of the barbers has their own equipment and products that are kept in individual boxes.
“We aren’t offering hair washing but are asking clients to come with clean hair and we will just spray it down. We will be asking people to wear masks for the first two weeks for extra safety.”
Wearing visors is within the government guidelines to prevent transmission as salons reopen.
Read more:
- Ripon hairdressers are ready to reopen today following a huge wave of demand for appointments.
- Masks and visors could be the new norm for staff as they prepare to reopen pubs and restaurants.
Hairdressers are having to work hard to change their habits to limit the amount of contact with their clients.
Gerri Dangerfield Keane owns Dangerfield and Keane salon in Harrogate, he said:
“We are trying to limit our contact points so nothing is being transferred when clients enter the shop. The way we’re approaching this is it’s not short term its for two years everything we have put in such as the screens can be lowered and raised as and when they are needed.
“We have to adjust to it but it will be very different for all of us, it’s what I’ve always done but I’m going to have to do it so differently.”
Jenny Addyman recently won the regional finals of the prestigious hairdressing competition, “Trend Vision Award” and will now compete at the national finals. She spoke of her excitement to return to work:
WATCH: Harrogate Dentist using 3D printers to make protective visors“I am excited to see my clients as its been a long time. I’m already fully booked until the middle August, of course it’ll be a little different with visors and fewer stylists. But im excited to be back its the longest I’ve not worked since I was about 15.”
Dentists and technicians from the Raglan Suite Dentistry Laboratory in Ripon have developed a protective visor from 3D printers normally used for dental work.
So far they have provided almost 2,500 visors free of charge to local care homes, hospitals and other key workers that need them.
Steven Campbell, Dental Technician at the Raglan Suite and MD of Nexus Dental Laboratory, told The Stray Ferret:
“Dentistry is on pause, so we wanted to make use of our 3D printing machines that usually make night guards, liners and dentures. I was shocked at the lack of PPE available so we have managed to come up with the perfect design to create these essential visors. It is brilliant to be able to provide PPE equipment to our local area.”
The technicians have also been making 900 ear savers each day to make the visors more comfortable for people to wear for long periods of time.
There has been industry funding for the production of these and there is also a go fund me page where people are able to donate towards the making of them.
