Black market concerns rise in salon industry

There are fears around the growth of a black market following the Government’s decision to include the salon industry in Phase 4 of the road map for reopening the country.

This means that the reopening date is not until 20 July. However, with travel restrictions starting to ease well before this, along with a huge public demand, there is concern that hairdressers will start doing clients’ hair in their homes.

Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast, owner of Dylan Bradshaw in Dublin said he’s getting texts and emails from people looking for him to send out one of his team.

“If you ask women not to touch their hair for the last eight weeks, and then you’re going to stick another 70 days on top of it. I don’t blame women in the sense they’re panicking this much. I don’t think the Government really gave it a lot of thought.”

The emergence of a black market means the risk of creating an environment that isn't as safe as it would be if salons were allowed open, he added. He also said the situation is going to “decimate” the industry, and hairdressers need a proactive route back to business while ensuring everyone recognises and follows the health advice.

Meanwhile, a Cork businessman has criticised a number of Cork barbershops for operating secretly in violation of the Covid-19 restrictions. Mick Moriarty, who owns The Baldy Barber, said he heard from employees of three Cork barbershops about businesses going underground since the beginning of the pandemic, and his biggest worry is that this behaviour could become more widespread. He said a number of people have offered barbers a lot more money than they would normally pay to have their hair cut.

“It’s been going on since the start of the pandemic,” he told The Echo. “Now, however, it’s happening more than ever. My customers are asking me ‘how long more’?”

Moriarty expressed concern that many barbers will go out of business. “There’s a fear that many will not be back at all after this or at least they will no longer be working in the public eye,” he said, adding that the industry needs advice and guidance from medical professionals, not politicians.