Hairdressers and gyms reopen again as national lockdown lifts

Gyms and hairdressers can reopen from today (Picture: Getty/PA)

People who have been craving a trim or to lift some weights are in luck from today, as hairdressers, barbers and gyms are able to reopen again.

During the four week national lockdown, they had been forced to close since November 5.

But now they are able to open again in all tiers, even with the harshest level of restrictions.

The government guidance on what can be done in tier three areas says: ‘Leisure and sports facilities may continue to stay open, but group exercise classes (including fitness and dance) should not go ahead.’

Visit our live blog for the latest updates Coronavirus news live

It adds: ‘Personal care and close contact services such as hairdressers and barbers, beauty salons, tattoo parlours, nail salons, spas and beauty services, saunas, steam rooms, massage parlours and tanning salons can remain open.’

The guidance continues: ‘All businesses and venues should follow COVID-secure guidelines to protect customers, visitors and workers.

A visitor has his temperature measured before entering the gym facilities at Nuffield Health Sunbury Fitness and Wellbeing Gym in Sunbury-on-Thames (Picture: Getty)

‘In certain indoor settings, staff and customers must wear face coverings, unless they have an exemption.’

Boris Johnson told the Commons today: ‘This is not another lockdown. Nor is this the renewal of existing measures in England.

‘The tiers that I’m proposing would mean that from tomorrow everyone in England, including those in tier 3, will be free to leave their homes for any reason.

‘And when they do they will find the shops open for Christmas, the hairdressers open, the nail bars open, gyms, leisure centres, swimming pools open.’

Can mobile hairdressers open?

Yes, like all hairdressers, mobile hairdressers are allowed to operate in all tiers.

They are classed as close contact workers, and advice is available here on how they can make sure their work is in line with government guidance.

Are gym classes allowed?

In tier three areas, all exercise classes will be banned including dance and fitness.

The rules for tier two state that ‘you can only take part in organised sport, exercise classes and other group activities indoors with people you live with or share a support bubble with’.

In tier one areas, the rules are similar in that organised indoor sport and indoor exercise classes are only permitted if it is possible for people to avoid mixing in a group of more than 6 (or with people they live with or share a support bubble with).

There are exceptions for:

• disability sport
• sports as part of the curriculum in education
• supervised sport and physical activity for under-18s (including those who were under 18 on 31 August 2020)

Despite classes being banned, people will still be able to go to the gym and use the equipment as normal.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.