Bridport beauty salons reopen to offer a limited selection of treatments

Beauty salons have finally been given the go ahead to reopen after almost four months of being closed. Salon owners have been desperate to get back to work after missing out on months of business but, despite being told they can reopen, many are continuing to suffer as they are unable to offer any treatments which are done on a client's face.

Faye Hubbard, owner of The Shed Hair and Beauty, said: "I don't feel great about the guidelines that we have been given. I feel it is very contradictory compared to services available in other establishments such as barbers that can do beard trims and cut throat shaving which is on the face and we can't do an eyebrows or lip waxes which are only a 10 minute job.

"I think the limitations on beauty are sexist and it seems like men's stuff can reopen. I feel like the Government are not even trying to understand our industry. Being unable to do facial beauty treatments is a big loss for us as it is about a third of our beauty treatments.

"I am living on survival mode at the moment."

Salon On The Square in Beaminster reopened for beauty treatments on Monday. Despite being unable to offer a number of treatments, the salon is pleased to be back in business. Manager Jody Mason said: "Everyone has been very understanding about us not being able to do any treatments on the face. I think our clients are all just grateful to be back and getting themselves ready for summer.

"Appointments are like gold dust. We've got a list of people desperate to come in sooner if we have a cancellation but we aren't getting any. We are booked solidly until the middle of August.

"It is a little bit of a concern that we cannot do facial treatments but people seem happy to wait and I don't think it will be too much longer until we are allowed to do them. People are being patients and it makes sense not being that close to people's faces during the pandemic."