Beauty industry fights to stay afloat amid pandemic

by MINREET KAUR

ASIAN beauty businesses have told Eastern Eye about how they have lost thousands of pounds in trade during the pandemic lockdown.

Beauty salons were among businesses due to reopen August 1, but a day before that was due to happen, the government put the brakes on easing lockdown meas­ures for two weeks. Salons then reopened on August 15.

The setback has taken an emotional toll on families who rely on their business to make ends meet. “When we were given the go ahead to open, my diary started filling up again. When I heard we couldn’t open for another two weeks, I just cried,” said Sapna Christi who owns a beauty clinic and training academy on Soho Road in Birmingham.

“I didn’t know what to do. There was a feeling of guilt and not wanting to let my clients down, but also I rang my husband apologising that I couldn’t help him fi­nancially towards the house.”

Sapna told Eastern Eye that her hus­band already had to take on an extra job to pay the bills when the restrictions be­gan in March. He now works 18-hours a day, leaving the home at eight every morn­ing. She is praying her year-old business will survive the pandemic.

“It’s been emotion­ally draining, financially damaging and the thought of lockdown hitting again scares me like nothing else. If another lockdown happened, I would hon­estly have no choice but to close down, and I do not want to let that happen.”

Last Friday (21) the government added Birmingham to a national watch list of places with rising cases of Covid-19.

Achvini Sri, 28 and a medical student, who runs a business from her home in London said, “Being a student, I have a tight budget. I’ve always done tutoring on the side, but as exams were cancelled my services weren’t required so I lost that extra income I would have had.”

The British Association of Beauty Therapy & Cosmetology’s (BABTAC) lat­est survey shows the impact of Covid-19 on the beauty industry and UK Economy.

Its findings showed that 80 per cent felt an impact on their mental wellbeing. The situation is made worse because nearly 35 per cent of professionals are the sole or main income provider for their families.

Prabs Sura, 27 and from Southall, west London, told Eastern Eye, “Since lock­down, I have had all bookings cancelled. This has had a massive impact on me fi­nancially with no income and affected me mentally. From being constantly busy seven days a week, to now not being able to do my job, it’s been really hard.”

Even if lockdown is lifted, one in five said they were not confident to re-open. Those who did, adapted the way they work to meet Covid-19 guidelines.

Experts said if businesses were unable to open for the foreseeable future, an in­dustry that employs over 300,000 people in the UK will be at risk.

Four in 10 (42 per cent) told the survey they were in desperate need of immediate earnings to avoid the risk of closing businesses or further job losses. More than 70 per cent of those surveyed confirmed as many as four peo­ple were at risk of being made redundant.

While government funding has helped, only three in 10 (31 per cent) received a small business grant and a further 50 per cent were able to secure the self-employ­ment income support scheme. However, almost two in 10 business (18 per cent) did not qualify for any grants.

Lockdown has been lifted for many businesses throughout the UK, but not for this profession. “We’re very much cautious of being safe and aware of Cov­id-19,” said Sura. “So, it’s extremely frus­trating that men are able to go to their barbers for a haircut, pubs and public beaches are open, but we, as beauty pro­fessionals, wearing PPE, with disinfected clean tools and kits, aren’t allowed to do our jobs or safeguard our livelihood.”

Those who spoke to Eastern Eye said the industry prides itself on cleanliness and safety. They are desperate to get back to work, to start earning money and provide treatments in a safe and prepared way, they said.

Gita Lavingia from Lavingia Beauty Art in London said, “The initial lockdown has had a huge impact on my team and the business men­tally and financially. Finan­cially, we depend on client bookings, but due to the uncertainty of a concrete opening date, we had appoint­ments in the system that had to be can­celled, hence losing a big chunk of busi­ness revenue.

“I was 110 per cent sure we would be up and running from July 4 alongside the hair dressing industry. However, it wasn’t the case and a last-minute blow. My busi­ness mantra is health and safety for my team and our clients. It’s our number one priority long before the pandemic.”

But it is not just money which is being lost, so is the health of professionals.

“Lockdown has taken a toll on my mental health and I started to feel very demotivated. I haven’t been able to work and do not know when I can work again. During lockdown, I kept myself busy in taking part in a henna challenge, but it has been very tough for me both finan­cially and mentally,” said Sri.

A report by the British Beauty Council in 2018 estimated that the industry di­rectly and indirectly contributes more than £27 billion to the UK economy.

“The impact of the lockdown has been absolutely crippling to the entire beauty & hair treatment sector, which in the UK alone is worth £6.6 billion,” said Lesley Blair chair of BABTAC. “This does not in­clude product at all, so the financial im­pact is literally 100 per cent of treatment earnings every month.”