Unfortunately, due to the extended lockdown imposed in Leicester, Barrie Stephen Hair will be unable to reopen on Saturday along with other barbershops.

Luckily, Barrie is keeping positive, re-deploying team members and clients to bring further extension to his opening hours in his other locations that, whilst in Leicestershire, fall outside of the boundary for lockdown.

Barrie said, “It was pretty devastating for us as we were just all so pumped up to open across the whole group and of course we have had to cancel thousands of appointments and try to reschedule and accommodate them elsewhere within the business.

“But I’ve got an incredible team and somehow we are managing (my consumption of red wine went up fairly sharply at the weekend!) but I am working hard not to let it dampen my spirits for the rest of the group!”

Elsewhere, to keep business booming and his clients taken care of during lockdown, Barrie has been focusing on online retail, bringing a boost to business while providing his clients with easy access to salon-quality luxury products.

To find out more about Barrie Stephen, visit www.barriestephenhair.co.uk

Stephen Price has been appointed Managing Director of Takara Belmont (UK) Ltd as of Wednesday 1st July, as current MD Takashi Hoshina returns to Japan to take on an international role within the corporation. Stephen previously held the position of Director since 2006.

Mr Hoshina said: “During my tenure here at TBUK, we have achieved many things and made great progress… We have had to adjust our strategy for Brexit and today we are facing huge challenges with the Coronavirus, but we will come through this together. My new job in Takara Belmont is to integrate to our international business in USA and Europe, which I am optimistic towards because of what I have learned from the UK in the past 8 years. We are fortunate to have someone of Stephen’s calibre and experience to lead Takara Belmont UK. Stephen has a solid understanding of our products and markets, a proven track record and is strong communicator with deep leadership capabilities.”

Stephen added: “We are at a critical moment and we need renewed leadership to successfully implement our strategy and take advantage of the market opportunities ahead.”

We wish both Stephen and Takashi the best of luck in their new roles.

For the past 100 days, Adee Pheelan has been collecting and donating £870,000 retail products to 46 NHS hospitals across England, but this week marks the last of ‘Phase One’ of his programme.

For his final week, he has created brand new gift boxes honouring his beloved Liverpool Football Club, personally delivering gift sets to Aintree Hospital and Liverpool Royal.

As Phase 1 comes to an end, Phase 2 begins! The second phase will involve opening four pop-up shops in Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and London, with the London shop due to open on July 13th. The pop-ups will provide haircuts to NHS staff completely free of charge, with over 3,000 stylists already signed up to work for free across the pop-ups.

Although the rent for the pop-ups is free, there are a number of other overhead costs involved, so Adee is looking for sponsors to help support him bring his mission to life.

To find out more about the project or if you think you could provide sponsorship, get in touch with Adee via Instagram @adee_phelan_5 or if you can spare a few pounds, donate via his Just Giving page here: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/adee-phelan-nhs-pop-up-shop

A recent update from the NHBF has announced that the local lockdown imposed on Leicester has resulted in a delay to barbershop reopenings in the local area.

Shops in Leicester will now NOT be able to open on the 4th of July as with the rest of England. More information can be found on the Leicester City Council website here.

At present, the lockdown is to be extended for at least two weeks due to the peak in cases in the area.

It has also been announced that Northern Ireland will be adopting the official UK government guidelines for safe reopening of salons and barbershops, while Scotland and Wales are yet to announce if they will be publishing their own.

John Mosley, also known as Popular Nobody, has built an incredible career for himself as a barber and international educator. Now, he is using is influence to give back to the community by launching his own foundation, which will help support aspiring beauty professionals as they set off on their new career journey.

“It is our mission to ignite the power of tenacity and humility by creating opportunities for successful careers in the beauty industry and beyond,” says John.

The Nobody Way Foundation believes in a future where your place in the fashion and beauty industry is determined by your talent and not your zip code. Where access to top-tier education and industry-leading mentors is limited only by your own work ethic. Where communities prosper because dreamers and do-ers discover a career path that matches their passions, and where the humble and tenacious are the innovators of our future and the champions of our communities.

So, how is the foundation helping to create this future? By partnering with top-tier educational institutions to offer scholarships and structured opportunities for aspiring barbers and cosmetologists and by building strong support and mentorship opportunities for aspiring barbers, cosmetologists, and the broader community members it serves.

The unifying focus of the Foundation is community. It exists to build a community that celebrates the hard-working and humble who are dedicated to moving their communities forward – together.

To find out how you can support the foundation, visit https://www.nobodyway.com/

Today marks a great day for our industry, as barbershops across the Republic of Ireland have been able to reopen their doors for the first time since lockdown was first imposed back in March.

Clients have finally been able to visit their barbers for some much needed cuts, trims and fades, albeit with new safety measures in place to protect both clients and barbers.

WAHL Artistic Team member and owner of The Asylum Barbershop, Andrea Lynne Raymond said: “It’s been really exciting but nerve-wracking at the same time! We have a good system going for cleaning and sanitising between customers and its worked well so far! We have completely rebuilt one side of the shop – taking away the waiting area and coffee dock and replacing them with more stations. We have extra tools and gowns so we can alternate between customers too. We are doing temperature checks and both customers and barbers have to wear masks. So far, it’s been great, with everyone respecting the policy and an overall great buzz in the shop!”

Meanwhile, Chris O’Riordan of ST4Men, said: “It’s fantastic to finally reopen after being off for so long. We have all our usual measures in place i.e. cleaning and sanitation, but all these measures have been bumped up that bit extra. All stylists are required to wear a face covering and all clients are being asked to wear them during their service. We are also adhering to government guidelines including social distancing and hand washing, to name a few. We are also utilizing a contact tracing app to ensure the safety of our clients and staff. Clients are scanned in and out of waiting seats and our barber chairs so we have a full log of where everyone has been seated and when the seat has been cleaned. It’s a bit different now, being the first day back, but I’m sure after a week it will feel totally normal!”

We are so pleased that the first shops are able to reopen, and we look forward to hearing from England’s barbershops as they return to work on Saturday 4th July.

With the recent publication of government guidelines and the first barbershops in the UK set to reopen their doors on Saturday 4^th July, PPE, for most, has been high on the list of priorities. Although the use of disposable gowns and towels is not set to be mandatory, there will be some expectation from clients and staff. Providing disposable gowns shows your client that their safety is paramount, but what about all that extra waste? Easydry have the solution. 

Made from medical-grade fibre, the Easydry disposable towels are single-use and more hygienic than multi-user cotton towels and traditional laundry. This gives both you and your client peace of mind that you are offering the highest hygiene standards possible. 

Made using eco-friendly processes and without the use of chemicals, they remove the issue of sustainability when it comes to disposable products. Many barbers are keen to shy away from disposable towels and gowns due to the increase in waste, but with Easydry, barbers and shop owners can breathe easy knowing there is a biodegradable solution. 

To reassure your customers, with every Easydry purchase, you will get a specially created hygiene sticker to place in your shop window, showing that your shop uses disposable towels and can offer a clean, fresh towel, every client, every time. 

In addition to their towels and in even higher demand in barbershops are Easydry’s  new long, black, 100% compostable disposable gowns! 

Currently celebrating 15 years since the launch of its’ very first eco-friendly, hygienic towel, CEO and founder, Anne Butterly, has been listening to her customer needs during this time of crisis. 

“I always listen to the feedback and listening to salons over the past few difficult months, I clearly heard that salons need and want a gown that is both hygienic and eco-friendly,” she explains. 

So, to address these needs and as part of the anniversary celebrations, Easydry is launching their very own 100% compostable long black gown. Many barbers have been concerned about the use of disposable gowns and the extra waste they will create, but, as with their towels, these gowns are eco-friendly and just as effective.  

The full-length gown is ideal for all services, providing protection for the guest and the barber, with a soft material that provides the client with both comfort and reassurance. After use, the gowns can be easily composted, so you can reduce your carbon footprint while simultaneously protecting your staff, yourself and your clients. 

Find out more or purchase yours here: https://www.easydry.com/gb/

Some good news for barbers, stylists and beauty professionals as Schedulicity has announced that they will be waiving their fees one last time.

Whether you have been using them for years or are just signing up, you can use all Schedulicity features for free until September 1, 2020.

A social media post on 25th June said: “We hope that this will help lighten the last few months’ financial burdens. We also know that to really use our best features – and to see how valuable they are – you need to be open and booking again. So take your time!”

This is one of many actions that the team at Schedulicity have taken to support the industry in these uncertain times. To sign up or to find out more about their services, visit https://essentials.schedulicity.com/

Yesterday the Prime Minister confirmed that barbers and hairdressers in England can reopen from Saturday 4th July, including mobile and freelance barbers.

The guidelines for ensuring safe practice have now been released and state that shops can reopen for ‘services that relate to cutting or treating hair on the head only’, which suggests that for the time being, beard trims and shaves will not be possible.

The key points of the Safer Workplace guidlelines for England are:

• All barbershops must complete a risk assessment and post evidence of this within the barbershop
• Stick to social distancing and maintain two metres between clients where possible, or one metre with additional precautions, such as the use of screens
• Face visors must be work by barbers for all services. Face coverings can be worn by barbers and clients, if they choose to, but are not considered a substitute for visors
• Clients should be seen by appointment only and barbershops should keep a temporary record of clients and visitors for 21 days to support the test-and-trace system
• Contactless payments are preferred
• Waiting areas are allowed, but only if space permits and social distancing can be adhered to
• No food or drinks should be consumed in the shop by clients other than water in disposable cups or bottles
• Disposable gowns should be used however, if this is not possible, gowns should be switched between clients and cleaned thoroughly before being reused
• The guidance does not ban the use of hairdryers
• Regular hand washing and sanitisation of surfaces and tools

The full Safer Workplace guidelines are available to view here: https://bit.ly/2ZiLxnJ

Hilary Hall, chief executive of the NHBF, says: “Although it’s great news that hairdressers and barbers in England have a confirmed opening date, these decisions have come very late in the day. We are also extremely disappointed that beauty businesses are not yet allowed to reopen, and we have always emphasised that hair and beauty should reopen at the same time. We will continue to put pressure on the government to allow beauty businesses to reopen as soon as possible, and for financial support to be extended.”

Meanwhile, Keith Conniford, CEO of the Hair and Barber Council, said: “The guidance states that these are steps that will ‘usually be needed’, which suggests that a degree of common sense is needed. Our back to work plan will work alongside this guidance, with the government guidance always taking priority if there are any conflicts.”

From the 8-13th August 2020, a barbering and bike-obsessed group will congregate in the seaside town of Southport, the hometown of The Company of Master Barbers, for the 4th annual BarbersRide. Born out of a shared passion for barbering and motorbikes, this 5-day UK road trip is not to be missed.

As well as bringing like-minded folk together, the mission of BarbersRide is to raise as much funds and awareness for a chosen charity whilst enjoying the unbeatable sense of camaraderie that only a motorcycling road trip can offer. This year’s charity is the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.

2020’s BarbersRide is set to be bigger and better than ever, with over 30 riders involved. The uncertainty and effects of lockdown have added unexpected challenges, however there are wishes waiting and the BarbersRide team are more determined than ever not just to create a memorable experience, but to raise money for an incredible charity in the process.

So far, six barbershops across England have committed to organising fundraising activities to support the cause, including The Company of Master Barbers, 6 Hub Barber Shop, Bond’s Gentlemen’s Barbershop, The Heartbreak Club, Christian Wiles Gentlemen’s Grooming and Gilly’s Barbers.

To book your spot or to find out more about this year’s event, visit https://barbersride.com/