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LIKE THOUSANDS OF small business owners, I closed the doors to my barbershop – Barber Bob’s in March last year in solidarity with the national effort to “flatten the curve”. At that time not once did it enter my head that almost 12 months later the doors would still be closed.
We are based in Monksland, Athlone in Roscommon and like others, I re-opened when permitted last year having put considerable time and money into additional public health measures to ensure customers and staff were safe – something that paid off with no outbreak linked to Barber Bob’s during the time we were open.
I grew up in business, with my parents operating pubs in the West of Ireland. I learned a lot about the professional side of the business from my retail work in sales and merchandising and, growing up with parents who taught me a lot about being self-employed. I set up my salon in March 2012 with two staff – and I haven’t looked back since.
Many will have seen reports today of a salon defying the Covid regulations by opening its doors to customers. While I personally don’t condone these actions, I have so much sympathy for everyone in our industry and in the service industry overall. This pandemic has hammered us. We are struggling, with many hairdressers and barbers unable to manage on the PUP payment alone.
Let us open for two weeks
I understand and appreciate the seriousness of the evolving situation with regard to Covid and that the focus has been on preventing hospitals from becoming overwhelmed and re-opening schools. However, I have made a proposal to both the Taoiseach and NPHET to re-open barbers and hairdressers for a two week period only. Let’s be honest, we may have taken to online shopping in the last year, but you can’t get a haircut online. That is part of why I have made my proposal.
From recent reports, it appears it could be some time before barbers and hairdressers are permitted to re-open. If this is the case there will be some negative outcomes from such a decision, which I believe will contribute to the spread of Covid-19.
The black market has formed since Covid arrived. This, in my opinion, is not because people genuinely don’t care about breaking Covid regulations, but that they feel getting a haircut is enough of a reason to flout the rules.
There are many thousands of workers who are still getting up in the morning to go to work in this country. From what I know, hairdressers and barbers are being contacted by male customers in particular who are not comfortable with presenting to work with longer hair. For many customers, there is a mental health implication as they feel unhygienic and undignified when left in need of a haircut.
My colleagues and I have not operated in this way and I do not condone hairdressers or barbers giving in to the temptation by embracing the black market. However, with thousands in our industry on the PUP and struggling to pay bills, you can see why it is tempting for them. The longer the current situation prevails the more that temptation will grow – due to financial pressure – to say yes to the requests from customers.
Why we should open
We believe that customers frequenting barbershops and hairdressers are extremely well protected from Covid-19 and that our industry is not a high-risk environment in the spread of the virus.
We are one of the few groups within the hospitality and retail sectors where both customer and staff members are wearing a mask for the entire duration of the visit.
This is along with hand sanitisation at entry and exit and the additional cleaning protocols that have been put in place. Indeed, this industry has long been familiar with a need for sanitisation which pre-dates Covid-19.
Hygiene has always been a massive part of my approach to business and I have driven staff mad about cleaning over the years. I’m probably a bit obsessive about it definitely but it pays off to be that way in business. Your business can never be clean enough, I learned that in the pub trade.
While I understand that it is difficult to introduce different rules for different sectors I feel consideration should be given to the public health measures that have been put in place by those in our industry. Therefore, I am proposing a two-week window during which barbers and hairdressers would be allowed to open, with all the strict health measures in place.
I believe this proposal should be given consideration given the nature of the negative impact on people’s mental health resulting from not being able to obtain a haircut, which for some is a heavy burden on their wellbeing during already difficult times.
Our business is at the heart of the local community. We know our customers, we know their families and we are there for them for all occasions in their lives – first haircut, a haircut for a job interview, the cut for their wedding or holiday.
When they sit into that chair it is like a form of therapy for many customers, they chat about families, jobs, everything from happy occasions to the more troubling times of their lives. And that is something that is now missing.
We are a family-oriented barbershop and we share in the events of customers’ lives. That is what has been missing for the last few months – for staff and customers – we believe that we can re-open safely, even just for a short period, and provide a much-needed service that will help to improve the mental health and well-being of our customers and prevent the growth in black-market services.
Robbie Connaughton runs Barber Bob’s in Monksland, Athlone, Co. Roscommon.
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Barbers are the safest places out there. Gloves, masks the whole lot. I don’t understand how people are going back to school but not able to get a trim.
@Beer Belly 0476: But wait, this suggestion seems a bit too innovative and sensible – surely no place for it in our “lockdown for all” strategy.
@Beer Belly 0476: you need an education. You dont actually need a haircut.
@Ronan Fahy: This virus isn’t interested in what’s needed. Opening from safe to unsafe would hit him much harder as using any different approach.
(Can’t verify for any numbers at the moment)
@Beer Belly 0476: a trim? I expect them to use a garden shears on my head now….
@Beer Belly 0476: I’d say hairdressers are the breeding grounds for Covid. You overrate the effectiveness of masks as well.
@Mickety Dee: Well.you are wrong
@Ronan Fahy: I can smell you from a distance
@Beer Belly 0476: I agree that Hairdressers & Barbers are safe places but who ever put above photo didn’t do the case any good they all look far to close together
@Ronan Fahy: Speak for yourself. My fringe has reached my nose.
Genuinely one of the best articles I’ve read. Barbers and hairdressers are surely very safe. You book your appointment over the phone or on an app, there’s no queuing- It’s just one on one with your barber/hairdresser. And the point being made about mental health is definitely true. A Haircut can really lift your self-esteem and make you feel good.
@Sean Kelly: People said the same about restaurants/pubs before Christmas, things opened and cases went far too high. Everywhere is safe to open but cases will still rise when places do open and that’s not fair on hospital staff, it’s tough enough as it is.
@Sophie: Your right about hospital staff and you might not like me saying this but other people matter too. Im genuinely worried about my 2 sons who have had little or no contact with their friends for almost a year. I’m not suggesting a full reopen but it needs to start.
@Sophie: Have you stats to back up the Restaurants/pubs claim. I’ll wait.
@Sophie: The jump in numbers before Christmas had very little to do with pubs and restaurants. How you can make that argument to stop barbers and hairdresser opening is beyond me.
@Sophie: Incorrect. The figures released in January by HSPC showed little or no outbreaks associated with restaurants and hairdressers. I’m sure if you want to check the stats are probably still there. Hairdressers are 100%more safe then any supermarket or corner shop.
@Sophie: You don’t have the potential to sink a few pints or glasses of drink in a hairdresser or barber’s, sitting right beside friends, losing inhibition and mixing with people then…or else I’m going to the wrong salons!
@Franny Ando: I got my hair cut in December and it certainly felt less safe than a restaurant and shop.
@Mickety Dee: Well then you should have complained to the owner and went elsewhere. Though I doubt what you say is true. All barbers and hairdressers had to have safety measures in place.
@Tom Leddy: I’m sure lots of people got a boost from Christmas but the cost of that was consternation in January and February!!!! And.. Those same people are back where they were before they got a “boost”… Maybe if you or someone close to you ends up in ICU, you’re 2 sons will have a little more to worry them !!!
Someone done it today and gardai are all over, like a moth to a flame… more power to people
@Conor Doherty Coughlan: did
@Conor Doherty Coughlan: Amazing how quickly they turned up yet not a single guard turned up to that mosque the other day.
@Lee Mahoney: Exactly
@Kevin O’Brien: but they put it on file.
@Mary Nugent: They have some files.
@Conor Doherty Coughlan:
Be worth mentioning that the premises in Balbriggan today was co-ordinated by well known rabble rousers who have been party to several illegal dealings in the past. She’s nothing more than a puppet/sacrificial lamb.
She was “assisted” in reading out her statement and advised to let the Gardaí arrest her when they arrived.
@Lee Mahoney: Same as the airports. Could be 4 to 6 weeks before they can bring in quarantine measures. Yet when it came out people were going to Lanzarote 5 mins later gardai, checkpoints and fines at Dublin Airport. Even though they were the ones that had to have negative covid tests before travelling.
@Lee Mahoney: or Dublin airport which was packed with crowds after 3 flights arrived around the same time. 90mins to clear security.
@Lee Mahoney: They might have been at the sergeants retirement party
This government couldn’t care less about our mental health
@Jim Smith: And if we opened up now and people died would you care about the mental health of the grieving families ?
@Cliff Burnby: It’s the same story with you everyday Cliff. You don’t care about the people who suffer and die unless it’s related to Covid. Do me a favour and just p1$$ off
@Jim Smith: did he hit a nerve jim?
@Jim Smith: Nice….My point is simply that mental health issues won’t just go away when lockdown ends. You are here every day looking to open everything up when we simply can’t do that with the numbers as they are. I’m sorry if I’ve more sympathy for the mental health of those that are grieving loved ones than anyone that thinks not getting a haircut is making them depressed. Bottom line is we can’t open up until the numbers drop further, we all saw what happened in January. Have a bit of cop on instead of just telling people to pi$$ off.
@larry bird: ….think I hit a few !!
@Cliff Burnby: I will not be wasting my time with people like you so please don’t waste your time with people like me.
@Jim Smith: Suit yourself, I’ll still call out your nonsense though ;)
@Cliff Burnby: Do whatever you want Cliff. Just don’t waste my time with your selfish attitude.
@Jim Smith: Thought you weren’t going to reply to me anymore ? You call me selfish yet you are calling to open up everywhere now and let thousands more die like they did after we opened up for Christmas. You just don’t get it. Now is not the time, the numbers need to come down first.
@Cliff Burnby: Apologies, I just realised I forgot to tell you are selfish. You don’t care about the hurt caused by this lockdown. You just use deaths from covid to make people feel guilty when they try to highlight other issues, deaths included. All just to try and prove a point.
You are selfish. I pinky promise I’m done talking to you now. Have a good life, if that’s anyway possible at the moment.
@Jim Smith: I’m not trying to make anyone feel guilty, I’m trying to make you see that opening up now is just not an option.
Of course I know that lockdown is hurting people and causing all sorts of problems. Do you think I like it ? Of course I realise the government have made a bags of lots of things.
It is not selfish to realise that the priorities right now have to be to get the numbers down, get jabbing vaccines as quickly as possible and ultimately save lives.
@Cliff Burnby: yawn
@Eoin Ó Cuinneagáin: I’d say you’re a clever lad alright…
@Jim Smith: Clifford is a complete dud
@Cliff Burnby: I got my hair cut ….. feeling and looking fresh …. shame same cant be said about you
My husband has discovered I have a talent for men’s hair. Taught myself to do fades. He says he’ll never leave me now he knows what I can do. After 20 years of marriage, it’s good to have that security.
@Contrary Mary: To be fair, he has to say that. It’s a man thing, anything for a peaceful life & all that jazz, lol.
@Contrary Mary: right…
@Contrary Mary: the secret to sustaining a healthy relationship… Mess with his head…
Never has it been more transparent that mental health has been used as a throwaway line to excuse opening businesses quite like this. While I think hairdressers and barbers take more precautions than most and should have bookings only, it shouldn’t let them off the hook for using the ‘mental health’ line the same way ‘what about the homeless?’ was a few years ago.
@Paul Cunningham: For me, when I had depression, I felt a lot better about myself when I was able to get up out of bed, shave, shower and get myself dressed well, even if I wasn’t going anywhere. That might seem silly to somebody who hasn’t experienced it, so I completely understand why a haircut would help somebody feel better.
@Ned Gerblansky: doesn’t seem silly but in the list of priorities, keeping the vulnerable alive is higher than making people with depression feel better. Once we protect actual lives and get things in order we can fix next on list. Immediate danger is with an infectious disease.
@Kris Kendellen: Stop with the “vulnerable” line. People who are elderly or people with underlying illnesses are not going to be putting themselves at risk. The rest of the population need to get back to a modicum of normality. As for depression unless you have experience of it don’t make assumptions. It’s a horrible crippling affliction. I know from very personal experience what it can lead to.
@Franny Ando: I do have experience so check yourself.
And if you had any ability to see things through, the problem is that people who are a symptomatic go to the shop, pick up an apple, cough etc. The vulnerable person who gets their food delivered because they can’t go out catches the virus and dies. Because you wanted a haircut. Try think thinks through. This is why you need to be limited, because you can’t see consequences. So ppl who can understand need to limit and control the rest.
@Kris Kendellen: oh good lord who the hell goes to a shop picks up an apple and coughs on it!! Most decent people wash their fruit anyway. Groceries being delivered would not still be contaminated and who’s to say they would pick up the virus anyway. At this stage you are clutching at straws. If you have experience of suicide you should know the detrimental effects it has on families and how desperate that person was . No mental health assistance available because of covid. Time YOU realised the consequences its not all about covid. Mental health is just as important.
Open for two weeks, kill a few hundred people, extend lockdown for another month or two.
Alternatively, we could just let our hair grow a little longer.
@Derek Walsh: And your evidence that barbers has spread this virus left, right and centre? Ah yes. What’s that? You’ve none? Thought so. Incredibly silly comment. Good man yourself.
@Derek Walsh: You could do with an auld hot towel shave yourself ;~)
@Derek Walsh: Clown…. There’s were no outbreaks coming from barber shops
@Wayne Palmer: if you understand how viruses spread and how stats work you would know. But since you clearly don’t I would suggest staying quite. It’s the ppl who understand these things that need to keep the ignorant from hurting themselves and others.
@Gavin Mckenna: Barbers have been closed for most of the last year. Of course they haven’t been spreading it. What I’m saying is simply to keep them closed so they can keep not spreading it.
@Gavin Mckenna: but the basic logic is correct. If we open up with our numbers where they are we will go backwards. You can try to be selective but human behaviour doesn’t follow that process. Open barbers today and tomorrow you have other businesses looking to be opened or members of the public looking for rules to be relaxed. I’ve a pain in my arse staying at home but the alternative means dragging this out even longer and higher infection rates. It doesn’t take a lot of the population to not adhere to requirements to adversely affect a much larger section. Unfortunately the rules have to account for the behaviour of the lowest common denominators because some people think rules just don’t apply to them and other people simply put themselves in situations where they perceive the risks to be small and so take a chance and some just don’t think full stop. Its just human nature. Yes its tough. But let’s not pretend that society hasn’t dealt with far worse than not being able to shop or get a haircut. I know people have lost their livelihoods and I’m not trivialising peoples experiences but sometimes there is no alternative no matter how much it pisses us off. We have promoted the right of the individual above all other considerations in western society and that is why we have struggled so badly with this virus. Some people seem to think that nothing at all should interfere with our social and business activities or at least the ones they find necessary and become outraged by it. Total waste of time.
Cut the hair in a school and you can have 30 customers at once in a safe environment
Literallly any business that’s been shut could could say they’re good for people’s mental health in fairness, pints are good for mental health, gyms are good for mental health, sport, activities, anything. Personally, haircuts are the thing I miss the least
@Spongetron: you’ve feck all hair.
@Francis Mc Carthy: you haven’t seen my gooch
Everything is important to someone. Everyone thinks the thing that’s important to them should be the exception. Hairdressers are no more important than disability services and no safer than cinemas with proper social distancing, or golf, or tennis, etc. If hairdressers are allowed open, everywhere has a legitimate argument to open. Then, a few weeks down the road, it’s back into lockdown for another few months.
Get a grip will ya!
I think it’s a great idea. And if the government don’t give us some concession there will be a revolution at this stage. We need something. Anything. I need something or I’m going to fall over the edge of that potential breakdown
@Joecantdance: there will be no revolutions.
@Joecantdance: Skip up & have a gawk into your local ICU on your way to your revolution. “Concessions” before Christmas caused mayhem and pushed out the end date of this pandemic…. Why do you want to do the same thing again…. Bonkers!!!
Great Idea… wont happen though
Much and all as we all need a haircut . Crowded and often poorly ventilated spaces such as hairdressers are a risk .Hairdressers standing over customers as they sit even with face coverings which as we know come in all standards is a very good position (seated at a lower level ) for a respiratory virus to be breathed out and in by another . We still need to hold off until vaccine levels up and virus levels in community down . These variants can stay in the air in small particles and is 70% more transmissible . Hairdressers lay out varies too much some are very busy with staff even before customers .. we need to stay grey wild for now . I wouldn’t like someone standing directly over me snd have no clue who they are in contact with at home
Go and buy a clipper perfect time for diy haircuts it should grow back by the time we get out again !!
@James Delaney: that’s ok for you but I need a hairdresser. I believe Leo is buying a pair of clippers as well, what about the ladies are we supposed to shave it all off! Open the hairdressers please because I’m losing the will to live at this stage!
Yeah let them open. I’m like a fella whose been electrocuted every morning when I get up, like Marv in Home Alone ffs.
Driving lessons and tests can continue in small cars and confined spaces but barbers and hair dressers can’t operate in big open space rooms with screens, masks, gloves. Daft
Honestly life would be so simple if a haircut boosted mental health just like that
@David Geraghty: I still remember those miserable and depressing days after I had a horrible horrible haircut from a barber shop in Stillorgan. I hope they have improved their service quality over the last few years.
Hard to beat a meaningful haircut…..
Everyone is on the mental health bandwagon these days.
Gyms are far more important than barbers or hairdressers.
why not let them have 1 in the shop at a time and appointment only , sure womens hairdressers operate by app only and have done for years , whats the harm once the barber sanitises everything after each cut
My mental health check list:
Breathing exercises
Running
Except use
Now add a haircut. Yep that’s the ticket.
Shure who’d be looking at ya
As someone with long hair this whole articles reads like “god forbid anyone looked like you”
As a matter of interest, how many cases were barber related?
@Claude Saulnier: Of breaking the law and doing cuts on the sly????? 1000′s……But then again cases are spread by people being irresponsible and selfish.!!!!
@Jerriko17: where are your sources? You just contribute to rumours and fake news.
Spend more time in the supermarket. Every week
Open them.
Please if anyone knows of a hairdresser who will cut my hair let me know
Haven’t had a hair cut in a year , I get referenced to the professor in back to the future and the bull McCabe, tis great craic.
Your having a laugh .. all this over a hair cut or dye .. honestly how fickle are we .. the band is still playing as the titanic sinks .. everyone knows people go grey .. get over it and wait .. if we are going to risk opening something should we really go with one of the seven deadly sins .. ffs .. pick a more important worth while risk
An absolute joke, 2 weeks??? Mental
I’m well overdue a Brazilian. Looks like Don King down there.
Some barbers are not so safe. Went to usual barber in last October and the sanitation and Covid awareness left a lot to be desired. He lost me as a customer and will be looking elsewhere for my next cut.
Buy a professional hairdressing scissors – they are brilliant.
Cut it, the lot of ye.
Hair trimmer in Tesco – Number 1 to Number 8 – Slotted Scissors included.
Beard trimmer also in Tesco –
I miss my Romanian barber but it’s unlikely I’ll be going back – I think he left anyway.
Anywhere I could get a pube trim anyone?
Hair today, gone tomorrow
have your say