Bad hair days could soon be a thing of the past as hairdresser and barbers get set to welcome customers back from July 15.
Salons across the city were forced to close back in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, but First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed they will be allowed to reopen their doors in less than two weeks time.
Now Glasgow hairdressers are working round the clock to straighten out the new safety measures needed to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 once clients return.
Under the new guidelines, shared by the Scottish Government, hairdressers must wear face visors and walk-in appointments are banned.
After months of us all hacking away at our own fringes and experimenting with at home dye kits, the news that we could soon be back in the chair at our favourite salon has sent many of us into a frenzy.
One salon told Glasgow Live they are nearly fully booked into August with others reporting waiting lists of more than 1,500 people.
Stuart Whitelaw, founder of Glasgow salon Mesart, spent nearly two years building his dream space on Great Western Road - a three story mecca dedicate to all things hair.
But plans for the grand opening were cut short by lockdown restrictions and Stuart says the wait to reopen his businesses has been a nerve-wracking one.
“Thankfully we have plenty of space so everyone can socially distance themselves,” said Stuart. “It means we will be able to accommodate all of our clients during our normal opening hours without any problems."
Mesart, which has relocated from Finnieston, will have partitions installed between the basins and invest in personal protective visors for clients and staff.
They also plan to keep clients 4metres apart by only using every second chair.
“All of the staff are going to be wearing their PPE and the clients will also be offered to wear masks as well,” Stuart explained. “We will have hand sanitising stations at different locations around the salon.”
The real challenge, he says, will be keeping up with demand - with appointments in August already filling up and his team of 20 gearing up to see an average of 40 customers a day.
“The clients are ecstatic that they are getting to come in and get their hair done,” Stuart said.
“We’ve almost had 3000 emails now which has been really hard to try and get back to everyone but we are trying our hardest to get through them all.”
Hairdresser Fallon Carberry, who owns popular Glasgow salon Blow, is facing similar challenges.
At Blow, which opened a third location in the city centre just weeks before lockdown, safety preparations are already under way. Screens, hand sanitising stations and supplies of PPE are in place for when customers return to their Finnieston and city centre salons next week.
Blow founder Fallon said: “Closing so soon after the launch of BLOW CITY was heartbreaking, but it was the right thing to do to keep our amazing team and clients safe.
"We’re feeling really optimistic about the future and are so excited to open our doors again and get back to doing what we do best.
"While, of course, following government guidelines and keeping everyone as safe as possible.”
Blow staff will face masks while working staggered shifts, and stylists will also wear fresh disposable aprons and gloves for each appointment, which will be disposed of at the end of each appointment.
Strictly no walk ins will be allowed and customers will be asked to drink from non-reusable cups, wear disposable gowns and make contactless payments.
The Scottish Government advice, issued as part of their guidance for people who provide close contact services, admits it’s “clearly” not possible to maintain social distancing when cutting someone’s hair.
Instead they recommend that hairdressers follow social distancing rules by keeping people two metres apart, or one metre with mitigations, and ensuring the same hairdressers work side by side.
Customers should be asked Covid-19 related screening questions ahead of their appointment, according to guidance. Questions include asking if they have a a high temperature, new continuous cough or a loss of, or change in, taste or smell. If clients have any of these symptoms, they should stay at home and reschedule.
Guidance recommends “operating an appointment-only system” and punters must arrive on time. Bookings will need to be recorded for 21 days under test and trace rules in case there’s an outbreak.
Meanwhile eyelash extensions and nail appointment are not permitted as services which require staff to be in front of the customer face “for the duration of the time... should not be resumed.”
For Stuart, who hopes Mesart will employ lash and nail technicians in the future, the guidance means plans to expand their services will be put on hold for now.
“We’ll be taking it slow and feeling out the new rules with everyone else,” said Stuart. “But the main thing is we get to see our customers again and make sure everyone is happy and comfortable. Safety comes first.”
