Businesses ‘happy’ to stay shut - to keep their customers safe
AS PUBS and hairdressers get the green light to re-open, other business owners were have been told their doors must remain closed for now.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s annoucement allowing pubs, hairdressers, hotels, and cinemas to resume from July 4 was welcomed by many businesses and the general public after more than three months of lockdown restrictions.
However, for the people behind gyms, tattoo parlours and beauty salons, the decision will mean keeping doors shut to customers that much longer,
“My customers could get coronavirus and die-thenIwouldbe liable for killing that person.”
including Leon Gladok, 62, who owns tattoo removal clinic Ravell, on Wesley Court.
He said: “I’m anticipating re-opening in September unfortunately.
“Many beauty and skin clinics have complained it’s unfair that hairdressers are allowed to open, but they serve customers from the back, while my sort of business deals with customers face frontal.
“Regarding pubs re-opening, I think it’s a risk, which the Government are taking because the economy is flat.
“It seems like the economy is being put ahead of public health.
“I’ve not received a business grant from Government throughout the pandemic, I’m lucky because I’m meeting the overheads because I’m semiretired and have a pension.
“But I know that by reopening, one of my customers could easily get coronavirus and die - then I would be liable for killing that person.”
Questions have been asked on Government’s decision to reopen pubs and drinking places before gyms, which benefit people’s health and wellbeing.
Paul Sterling, owner of PS4 Fitness, Brighouse, said he is happy to keep his gym closed after arguing his clients’ health is priority. He said: “In a closed environment like a gym, a viral load could easily pass around.
“Heavy breathing, as well as sweat in a confined space will make a virus generate quicker and infect others beyond twometre distancing.
“I’m happy to stay shut, and I’ve given my clients fitness programs to work on while in lockdown. It’s too big a risk for gyms to re-open at this stage.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson told Parliament last week the Government’s public health experts will work with sectors which remain closed, to help them become ‘Covid secure’ and open ‘as soon as possible’.
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