Lockdown rebel stylist refused support grant

A HAIR salon owner has been told she cannot receive a Government support grant because she failed to comply with the lockdown rules.

Sinead Quinn, owner of Quinn Blakey Hairdressers at Oakenshaw, revealed she had asked Kirklees Council for a support grant to cover the lockdown period from November 5 to December 20.

Last month a court heard that she had opened the salon several times during November. Her defiance landed her with fines totalling £17,000 for ignoring the lockdown.

In an Instagram post yesterday to her 9,000 followers, she posted a photo of the grant rejection letter from Kirklees and said: “Just to show I haven’t had any grants for this lockdown.”

The March 9 letter said: “Our records show that you have recently applied for a National Lockdown 2/Local Restrictions Support Grant (closed).

“We have considered your request in relation to the government guidance on the scheme and unfortunately you are not eligible to receive this grant.”

The letter added: “The reason for this is we have sought guidance from Central Government on your case and due to the injunction order against yourself, you cannot receive any grants as you have failed to comply with the National restrictions.

“The grant is only available to businesses who has been required to close because of the national restrictions from 5 November to 2 December and have been unable to provide its usual in-person customer service from its premises.”

Ms Quinn is currently subject to an anti-social behaviour court injunction that forbids her from opening the salon until March 31. She has previously been told to pay nearly £20,000 in court costs and fines which were imposed for breaking lockdown by opening the salon.

Followers of the salon’s Instagram account had mixed views about Ms Quinn applying for a lockdown support grant.

One said: “But you were open when you shouldn’t have been and have received fines so I find this hilarious in all honesty that you think you would be eligible when you broke the law.”

Another said: “Because you opened during lockdown. If you hadn’t then you would have been entitled to assistance.”

One person posted: “They’ll never keep you down, however they want to play.”

The Examiner has approached Kirklees Council for further comment.