The NHBF has warned of the grave impact the latest coronavirus restrictions will have on the struggling UK salon industry if urgent and targeted financial support is not made available. Following the introduction of new Tier and Level 4 restrictions over the Christmas period – which force hairdressers, barbers and beauty salons to close until further notice – the industry body has calculated that hair and beauty businesses across the UK are set to lose over £124million per week in income, forcing many previously profitable businesses to close for good and causing thousands of redundancies.
Earlier figures, gathered as part of the NHBF Key Industry Statistics 2020 report, demonstrated the continued growth of the hair and beauty industry prior to the outbreak of COVID-19. In fact, the report – compiled in exclusive association with the Local Data Company (LDC) – shows that at the beginning of 2020, barbershops, beauty salons and nail salons were the top three retail categories for growth in the UK – above supermarkets, coffee shops and takeaways.
However, by November, following multiple shutdowns across the UK and no implementation of specific financial aid for businesses in the sector, NHBF data indicated 62% of salon owners could not be sure their business would survive until the end of the financial year (April 2021). Additionally, almost a third of those struggling salon owners (18%) stated that they felt certain they would have to shutter their businesses.
The cost per region of Tier/Level 4 restrictions has been calculated as follows:
London
South East
North East
North West
East Midlands
West Midlands
Total England
Scotland
Wales
Northern Ireland
TOTAL UK
7,015
5,425
2,020
5,425
2,980
3,815
–
3,810
2,155
1,560
–
£16million
£35million
£5million
£17million
£11million
£14million
£98million
£17million
£6million
£3million
£124million
Richard Lambert, NHBF chief executive said, “The Key Industry Statistics report paints a picture of a strong and growing industry with business survival rates bucking the decline of the high street. It is characterised by a high percentage of female entrepreneurs, supporting young people into careers and its positive approach to flexible working.
“However, this was before the coronavirus pandemic and we know from our recent targeted surveys that the majority of hair and beauty professionals are struggling to recoup their losses from lockdowns, implementing social distancing measures and the costs of increased PPE.
“Whilst we appreciate these are all necessary, the sector has not received any additional financial support such as those gifted to the arts, the sports sector, leisure or hospitality. Businesses simply cannot continue on this basis and we are continuing our pressure on the government to recognise this. Financial help to salons and professionals during this difficult time will be the only way to ensure the hair and beauty sector can return to where it was at the beginning of 2020.”
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