‘We always got a lot of drop-ins, but we can’t have an open door policy any more’

Joanna Mccartney runs Hairdressing by Joanna Mccartney in Newry. The city boasts over 70 salons, so news that doors were reopening was a cause for great celebration.

Joanna (left), who has been running her salon for 26 years, had already put many of the safety measures in place on the last week of trading before lockdown due to fears over coronavirus.

She laments that her open-door policy will now change as she has to work by an appointment-only system.

She says: “Newry is a place where we have a lot of well-kept ladies and it is known as the ‘Queen of the Blow-dries’ as many of our clients would get blowdries twice a week.

“When it was announced we could reopen the response was overwhelming and I will never forget that first phone call to book an appointment as it was so joyous. People were squealing with joy when they got their appointments. We are all really buzzing to get back.”

While hairdressing salons over the border opened a week earlier it hasn’t stopped Joanna’s loyal clientele from holding on until she is able to reopen.

Her salon is spacious which will allow her to maintain a two metre social distancing rule. Instead of the usual eight clients having their hair done at any one time, capacity will be halved to four. Her staff of five will also be in full PPE and clients will be asked to wear masks. Full sanitising of 15 minutes will add to appointment times, pushing prices up slightly

Joanna adds: “We always got a lot of drop-ins which we won’t be able to do now which is regrettable for me as I always had an open door policy but will now have to keep the door closed.

“It is appointment only by social media and we are booked out until August.

“We will be working longer days and on Mondays, which was usually a day off, so that we can fit everyone in.

“With half the normal number of clients our revenues will be down and we didn’t want to put prices up too but we’ve had no choice. A cut will go up from £40 to £45 and a colour from £35 to £37.

“Being closed for 15 weeks has been tough on business. We are still all shipwrecked and we need to get sailing again.”