Hairdressing Council launches Save Our Salons campaign

The Hairdressing Council of Ireland has launched its Save Our Salons campaign, which is part of its efforts to lobby the Government to commit to a reopening date for the industry.

The organisation wants hairdressers all over the country to take a photo of themselves, upload it to social media, tag their local TDs and use the hashtag #ihcsaveoursalons.

While the Government recently gave an update on the easing of restrictions and an eventual exit from lockdown, it didn’t commit to any dates for the Irish hair and beauty industry to reopen. It said it would look at personal services being allowed to resume in May.

In advance of that update, the council wrote to the Government to raise a number of issues, including a request that it reopens discussions with lending institutions and major lenders on the staying of loans for an additional period in 2021.

It also wants the Government to give extra financial support to salons, such as an amendment to the Covid-19 Credit Guarantee Scheme (CGS) to include the refinancing of debt accrued pre-Covid.

Furthermore, it is asking for the publication of the health data metrics of where the country needs to be in terms of Covid-19 cases and rates of infection before Level 3 will be activated and salons can reopen.

In light of ongoing black market activity within the hairdressing sector, the council wants the Government to creation a shadow economy task force post-Covid.