BEAUTY SALON owners in Blackburn and Darwen are highlighting the plight the industry faces all over the country due to the ongoing lockdown situation and are emphasising that they are working hard to make sure their premises are safe.

Owners and staff say that they cannot carry out crucial business practices such as facial treatments due to the restrictions, and that they have had no guidance as to when they will be lifted.

In response they also hope that a new petition will help raise public awareness and prompt local and national government into action.

Maria Rigby, owner of Split n Polish on Preston Old Road, Cherry Tree, said: “Our salons are possibly one of the safest places that you could visit right now.

“We have all our PPE in place, we have trained and completed courses on disinfecting and sanitization even though this is done already.

“We have gone above and beyond to make sure that all guidance in place has been followed.”

Ms Rigby pointed out that salons can be vital to the social lives of people in the community.

She said: “We are not only here to provide excellent treatments, we are therapists and we help people through emotional times.”

She added: “We obviously all feel very passionate about this and will be doing everything to show people our salons are safe.”

Salon owners had originally planned a gathering in Blackburn to raise awareness of the local situation.

However, following Friday’s announcement that practices across the UK will be restricted, organisers felt it would be more appropriate to suspend such action for the time being.

Ms Rigby said: “Businesses will close and people will lose jobs unless we can start our treatments again.

“We cannot survive working on the capacity we are now.”

The petition can be found at https://www.change.org/p/jake-berry-darwen-mp-our-salons-are-safe.