A barbershop in Newport, Wales has been closed for two weeks and it was found in multiple breaches COVID-19 health and safety guidelines.

The not so aptly named ‘A Smart Barber Shop’ were given a surprise visit from the Newport City Council enforcement officers last week, and while at the shop they found that no member of staff was wearing any PPE, let alone the type II mask and visor set required by the Welsh government.

The close contact risk was so apparent that the client’s contact information also have to be taken for the purposes of Track and Trace.

Newport City Council has instructed the business to be closed for 14 days from the July 28^th, when the notice was issued, until August 11. This notice can also be appealed to Magistrates’ Court.

This is A Smart Barber Shop’s second offence regarding COVID violations, however their first offence was withdrawn after they applied the changes that was asked from the enforcement team.

Image: walesonline.co.uk

The Retail Mutual is seeking to help independent retailers grow their businesses and encourage the use of technology to adapt to the changes that have taken place in consumer’s behaviour.

The pandemic has accelerated the change in shopping habits with a dramatic move to online purchasing through both necessity and preference. Many independent retailers are thinking about how they can encourage customers back onto the high street and are also looking at how they can benefit from the new order.

Rob Gibbs, Marketing Manager for The Retail Mutual, says, “Thanks to modern technology, it has never been easier to access information from anywhere in the world. Businesses that do not embrace digital, or any type of marketing for that matter, will find themselves struggling to compete.”

To help, The Retail Mutual has launched its Stronger Business, Stronger Future campaign. As an independent business, it can be easy to feel like the underdog when competing with larger brands. The Retail Mutual have collaborated with marketing experts, Wonderful Creative Agency, to create an in-depth marketing promotion guide. This is to help independent business owners get the most out of their digital marketing to attract more customers and increase on and offline sales.

This guide includes information on:

1. SEO – How to improve your website so that it has a better chance of being found online
2. Google My Business – A free way for your local community to find your business online
3. Social Media – How to make the most of social media for your business
4. Paid search – What it is and how paid search can work for your business
5. Paid social – How advertising on social media can help you find new customers
6. Video – Use video to promote your business and engage your customers
7. eCommerce – How to use your website to sell your products
8. Reporting and monitoring – Find out if your marketing is working by measuring data
9. Bringing offline, online… Use traditional marketing to drive online sales

Jon Taylor, Mutual Manager for The Retail Mutual, says, “The Retail Mutual exists to support its Members. First and foremost, this involves protecting their businesses from risk.  Many independent retailers face commercial risks which may be addressed, at least in part, through greater use of the many digital channels now available to them. This guide seeks to arm them with the information to help on this journey’.

The Making the Most of Digital Marketing guide is available to download on The Retail Mutual’s website (www.theretailmutual.com/downloads).

On July 15^th Senate Bill 803 was voted to be amended by The California Assembly Business and Professionals Committee. The barbering industry oppose these amendments, which lead to a protest at the capital.

The amendments were initially brought forward in February 2021, by Senator Richard Roth who represents the following constituencies in California; Riverside, Perris, Jurupa Valley, Norco, Moreno Valley, Norco, Corona, and Eastvale.

The bill severely reduces the number of hours training a student hopeful in barbering, or cosmetology, will have to undergo. The hours would dip from between 1500 to 1600, to 100.

The Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of LaRan Professional Hair Care System, Lorenzo Griffin and his wife, Wanda, are among the frontline line of the opposition. Griffin has been in the industry for 35 years and believes the amended bill will eventually relax the entire cosmetology and barbering industry to a negative standard.

In a petition created to stop the amended bill it states “SB-803 doesn’t make cosmetology education any cheaper, it simply removes a third of the education. Buying a car for 33% off seems like a great deal until you realize that the car you bought is missing a third of its parts.”

You can read more about the petition here.

Due to the regulations in Tennessee, it is required for local barber and cosmetology students to obtain 1,500 hours of training before becoming fully qualified. This has led to certain career-paths in the industry to be financially unobtainable for a lot of people.

Furthermore, most monetary aids have year-long waiting lists, leaving the majority of people having to borrow from the government for their tuition, meaning they start their already challenging career in financial hardship.

However, with help of the ‘Tennessee Promise’, which was launched in 2015, this means there a whole new era of industry hopefuls that this cycle of near (or actual) bankruptcy will not effect.

Since the state launched the initiative, almost half the number of college students taking out government loans have stopped, at about 40%. Student’s debt load also decreased by about 32% on average reports the Journal of Higher Education, which was published in April 2021.

This has led to some capacity issues however, but overall, the ‘Tennessee Promise’ has had a massively positive effect regarding becoming a student locally.

Tennessee has spent around $80 million towards updating renovation public trade schools, which adds to the hope that this may solve the capacity issues in the future.

Chicago Police have stated victims were inside the Creative Salon, located in Lawndale, Chicago, around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday 28th of July, when the gunmen entered and opened fire.

Both the 50-year-old barber and 22-year-old client were shot in the chest, and rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital, were both of them succumbed to their injuries and were announced dead.

Among the witnesses were the owner of the shop, other employees, and a mother and child. All staff were working when the incident first happened. Creative Scott, the owner of the shop, said “I tried to save him, man – I did, (he) was definitely not the intended target. It was basically, you know, the individual that was in the chair.”

CCTV captured everything that happened in the thirty seconds it all took place, however the gunman did have their faces covered and no charges have been made as of yet.

Commencing January 2022, licensed cosmetologists in Tennessee and barbers will be required to undergo specialised training to identify the signs of domestic violence.

State Board of Cosmetology, The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, and Barber Examiners, are aiming to train more than 50,000 licensed beauty and hair professionals to recognize the markers of abuse, how to respond appropriately and what resources are available to the victim.

“Tennessee’s beauty professionals are caring, compassionate individuals who are committed to ensuring the health and safety of all their customers, but may not know how to respond when confronted with domestic violence,” said Board Executive Director Roxana Gumucio.

He continues “Most domestic violence victims will not report abuse to law enforcement, but they will tell someone with whom they have a long-standing relationship, such as a cosmetologist or barber. Tennessee beauty professionals have a unique position to help identify domestic violence and assist victims.”

Starting January 1^st, this new law will come into effect and industry professionals will have to undergo an hour of training, either online or in person – this training is also completely free.

To assist, Barbicide teamed up with YWCA to offer the Shear Haven Domestic Violence Training.

This contemporary masterpiece posses all the strengths of the Cordless T-Outliner with next-level performance from the modified housing and new GTX-Z blade.

The features for this new model include:

• With classic performance you love from the original cordless T-Outliner® in an intuitive shape, enhancing visibility for precision detailing
• GTX-Z blade is pre-set with a tighter gap for fine detailing in a custom gold corrosion-resistant coating
• Powerful lithium-Ion battery delivers over 100 minutes of runtime on a single charge
• Extremely powerful, high-speed rotary motor delivers 7,200 strokes per minute with advanced Constant Speed Technology for ultimate blade performance through all hair types
• Cord/cordless operation for no downtime behind the chair and no waiting for charging

Andis have advised that the GTX-EXO can be used Cord/Cordless trimming and fine detailing of necklines, facial hair, dry shaving, designs, and hard parts. Rotary Motor; 100-240 V | 50-60 Hz | MAX 7,200SPM.

This model is now available for pre-order and can be shipped on August 16^th 2021, more details on the product can be found here.

Mandip Garcha is finally having his dream come true of becoming a full-time barber, a dream of which was convinced when Mandip arrived in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada seven years ago.

1949 Barber Shop, which opened its first location in St. John’s in 2018, gave Mandip the opportunity in May. The business has dubbed itself the “UN of barbershops” as most of its clients are from an array of ethnicities.

From an Indian background, Mandip told reporters of CBC.com that his parents had dreams of him one day becoming an electrician – however, also being a musician, he knew his career and talents lay somewhere more creative.

“My fiance, she knew how much I wanted to do this. And so she pushed me to go for it and maybe go ask my own barber (of the 1949 Barbershop) if they can teach me” Mandip told CBC.com.

They agreed and took Mandip under their wing for two days a week while he worked full-time at a restaurant, as well as a diary farmer with his father for years.

His hard work did in-fact all pay off, as he got made a full-time member of the 1949 Barber Shop’s second location in May of this year.

Mandip finishes “I hope I can continue doing this. And I don’t know if one day I will have my own shop”

Image: CBC.com

First Minister Paul Givan and Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill had a virtual meeting of the Executive on Thursday 22^nd of July to confirm a several changes regarding coronavirus restrictions, another discussion will take place on Monday 26^th of July continuing the conversation of the ease of restrictions.

Still under consideration for changes are places such as theatre and concert halls, however the number of people allowed to meet outside, along with barbershops and salons will now be able to remove the ‘booking only’ means of business.

The Northern Ireland Executive said “modest relaxations” had been reached after thorough consideration in a statement on Thursday afternoon.

Currently hairdressers and other close contact can only operate with booking systems or appointments. From Monday this will be eased, and Ireland will follow the likes of Scotland, where walk-in customers are permitted.

Image: belfasttelegraph.com

Independent high street business debt has more than quadrupled over the last year, a new Grimsey Review report has revealed, warning that Britain is facing a fresh wave of closures this autumn.

• Debt for high street independents has more than quadrupled
• Working conditions have become more insecure – 63% of people working in beauty salons are now self-employed
• Growth of trader associations and new adaptive spaces is giving indies a bigger voice and encouraging a new generation of high street entrepreneurs

In the latest review from veteran retailer Bill Grimsey, his team examine Britain’s vibrant independent shops, services and hospitality businesses, which have done so much to turn our high streets and town centres into attractive community places.

With 17,500 chain stores closing in 2020, Grimsey warns that a tsunami of smaller independents could soon follow. They are believed to owe £1.7billion and, as business support measures are withdrawn, thousands are vulnerable.

“Our high street independents have experienced a newfound appreciation during lockdown,” he said.  “But they’ve also been forced to take on government-backed loans, which they would not have normally been able to get because their balance sheets wouldn’t allow it. Now they are struggling to manage a mountain of debt and need help.”

The review is calling for a Government ‘forgiveness scheme’ to write off government-backed loans for viable small businesses.

“The French Government is already working on a policy to save small businesses from being crushed by debt and we need to do the same to save thousands,” added Grimsey.

In a wide ranging examination of how high street independents have survived the pandemic and their impact on communities, the review also looks at a new generation of retailers that are trying out bricks and mortar retail after first building online brands.

To support this sector more, it urges Government to take action on business rates in their autumn review, and calls for more initiatives to entice online entrepreneurs onto the high street.

The review also acknowledges the huge contribution made by hair and beauty, the fastest growing sector on the high street. However, it warns that the sector has become more precarious during the pandemic, with thousands of workers shifting to self-employed status.

It is also suffering from a lack of regulation, and deteriorating standards are encouraging a race to the bottom.

The UK is one of the only countries in Europe and North America where hairdressers and barbers aren’t regulated. Furthermore, after a week’s course, people can start injecting Botulin or reshaping customers’ faces with a dermal filler.

In conclusion, Grimsey said that Britain would not ‘build back better’ unless policymakers looked beyond infrastructure investment to equally prioritise small business and strengthening the social fabric of high streets.

“Britain is at a crossroads and the pandemic has brought about sweeping changes that will make a decisive break with a traditional high street model,” he warned. “But we can’t build our way out of trouble. To unlock the potential of our high streets, we need to focus on people, partnerships and communities as well.”

“That means protecting small businesses. It means supporting a new breed of digitally savvy entrepreneurs and making high streets a testbed for new thinking. And it means promoting high standards and regulating key sectors like hair and beauty. Britain needs a social recovery to lock in an economic one and our high streets should lead by example.”

Hair & Barber Council Registrar/CEO, Keith Conniford, said: “This highly anticipated review focuses on the increasingly worrying position of the retail, hair and beauty and hospitality sectors. It highlights the plight of our sector specifically, and the lack of support we have been given in spite of the many reports, letters and contacts The Hair and Barber Council made during the pandemic to MPs, Cabinet Ministers and direct to No 10.“

He continues “The report highlights the real need for our sector to be regulated to protect it moving forward and forms part of its recommendations to Government. Salons, Barber Shops and Beauty salons/spas are the powerhouse of the high street and Government must now start to seriously listen, support and help us to finally amend the current Act of Parliament from voluntary to mandatory….not until then will we ever be taken seriously as the professional industry we clearly are. The time is now…..a fascinating piece of work.”