TRACY Brabin MP has called on the Government to give the beauty industry more support, following a virtual meeting with local businesses who are eager to get safely back to work.

July saw a last minute U-turn as beauty businesses were told they could not reopen on August 1 as planned and now there are widespread concerns that they may have to remain closed until local lockdown restrictions are lifted.

The Batley & Spen MP said: “The Prime Minister’s dismissal of the beauty industry as nail bars and keeping them closed has left this female-dominated industry guessing about support and when they can open.

"There is also a strong feeling of unfairness in that salons cannot perform facial treatments with PPE while barbers when trimming beards don’t require any protection.”

On the call there was a wide range of businesses: from start-up businesses hiring a chair in a salon to an internationally renowned training academy. She said all who were on the call agreed that the government has shown no understanding of the industry and the economic impact it has, with 600,000 jobs and approximately £7bn in tax revenue.

Ms Brabin noted that “whilst the government needed to take action once the R rate started increasing, the haphazard way that the restrictions were communicated, with late night announcements on social media, have only added to the uncertainty in this industry”.

She has written to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy calling for more support to be given to businesses in the Beauty industry saying: “With 80% of those working in the beauty industry saying they have felt unsupported throughout Covid-19, this would be an invaluable opportunity for the Government to rebuild some of the trust that has been lost.”