Save Our Salons: How YOU Can Help Fight For The Future Of Our Favourite Salons

Save Our Salonswas the next stage in the #ChopTheVAT campaign launched in 2020 in collaboration with the British Beauty Council. It provided an opportunity for salon owners industry-wide to write a letter to their local MP and collectively unite behind one cause. Since the nation's first lockdown was instigated almost a year ago hairdressing salons, beauty salons, nail salons and the beauty services industry at large has suffered badly and yet received the bare minimum in support from the government, despite industries like the hospitality sector - many of which have still been able to trade in some way during the pandemic - benefitting from a considerable reduction in VAT.

On Wednesday 3 March the UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the March Budget 2021. Whilst his £65bn three-point plan set out to lend support the businesses across the UK as they emerge out of lockdown there was no VAT chop in sight for hairdressers or the beauty services industry at large. Barbers, hair salons and beauty salons across the country are allowed to open their doors once more from 12 April this year and there are new grants available up to £18,000 as part of the new Restart Grant initiative but its that crucial VAT cut that would make the difference to so many salons across the country. The onus is on the industry and us, the clients, to lend our support to the beauty services industry.

It's time the beauty services industry got taken seriously. The beauty industry contributes £28bn annually to the UK economy - twice that of car manufacturing, just to put things into context - and has a workforce that is 88% female. Yet this same industry has not received enough support from the government during the pandemic. Is this sexism at work? Is the government guilty of undervaluing the beauty industry at large? Yes to all of the above? Whatever your personal opinion it's likely you have a hairdresser, nail artist, beauty therapist, salon - you name it - who you've been loyal to for years and it's time to make that loyalty count. Read on to find out how you can help...

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The Beauty Backed Trust And The 'Back To Work' Campaign

Renowned skincare expert, bestselling author and qualified aesthetician Caroline Hirons is a force to be reckoned with. In August 2020 Caroline launched the Beauty Backed fundraising initiative to support those in the industry who had been directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and every lockdown it involved. The initiative raised over £600,000 and the petition garnered just under 30,000 signatures that accompanied a letter to Boris Johnson, a letter that implored him to put the beauty services industry back in business. Ahead of salons reopening nationwide on 12 April Caroline has created a trust for the money raised. Caroline has also brought together a board of some of the most well-known people in the beauty industry and together with the 'Back To Work' campaign and the British Beauty Council they will lend support to independent beauty businesses in the UK as they try to get back on their feet financially. The funds raised will provide vital supplies including PPE, tools, kit and financial support to makeup artists, nail professionals, facialists, aestheticians or beauty entrepreneurs across England, Scotland, Wales and northern Ireland. The trust is inviting any such professional who is in need of support to contact them via the form on the website www.beautybacked.com.

The Reality Of Lockdown For Hairdressers

For Luke Hersheson, globally renowned hairstylist and Creative Director and CEO of family-run salon name Hershesons, the priority at present is raising awareness of the unique plight that faces the beauty services industry and getting the issue heard in the House of Commons. Luke's own experience of navigating the pandemic as the owner of a hairdressing business is typical of countless others. 'In March this year my salons will have been closed for 260 days out of 365,' Luke states, 'running a business for more than two thirds of a year with no income at all is incredibly challenging. When the tap is turned off salon businesses are still paying landlords, they're still paying utility bills, insurance costs and subsidising furlough pay. It's a huge strain on the entire industry.'

Together with the Save Our Salons campaign Luke was able to gather a number of troubling statistics. '56% of salon owners are now having to consider closing their business,' says Luke, '79% of salons owners say they are unlikely to take on any apprentices due to COVID-19 and 71% of salon owners said they had no support from their landlords by way of rent reduction, which is enormous.'

As for the longterm impact? 'It depends on what support the government offers going forward,' Luke explains. 'We want to see our VAT reduced from 20% to 5%,' this is the cry sounded by the #ChopTheVAT campaign. 'A move like this looks likely to cut down the number of businesses that will be forced to close from 25% to 4%. It will enable most of those salons that foresee themselves having to close instead surviving. Over the next three years that reduction in tax will pay for itself as the industry recovers. There also needs to be a fund set up by the government to help small businesses reopen too.' The beauty industry continues to fight for that crucial cut to VAT for salons.

How Can We, As Clients, Help Our Salons?

According to Luke Hersheson the answer is simple: 'If you know your local MP write a letter to them outlining your support for salons and the need for a government support package and a reduction in VAT. Book and pre-pay for appointments and buy product from your local salon if they have an online of click-and-collect function. Anything like that puts cash in the till.'

Why Has The Beauty Services And Hairdressing Industry Suffered So Badly In The Last Year?

'We're a very undervalued industry.' Luke Hersheson states. 'The big problem we have as an industry is that we're not represented by a single body. Historically the beauty services industry hasn't been well-represented. It's a very fragmented industry made up of smaller businesses and self-employed professionals.'

'There's no union or one organisation that represents the entire industry. The beauty services and hairdressing industry isn't taken seriously. When you look at how many people the industry employs, and how many people it brings to the high street, that's when you see the value of these experience-led services. We're worth betting on.'

Everything You Need To Know About The #HairTheLove2021 Campaign

L’Oréal Professional Products Division have stepped up their support of hair salons in the wake of the pandemic with the #HairTheLove2021 campaign in collaboration with fashion designer Gareth Pugh. L’Oréal Professional recently showcased some brand new research, which revealed that 68% of British adults who get their hair done professionally agree that having their hair done supports their mental health and wellbeing. Gareth Pugh has designed a social media tile (see below) for anyone and everyone to use to show a bit of love to their go-to hairdresser. Post it and tag who your 'Hair Belongs To...' and shine a light on those beauty services businesses currently compromised by the pandemic.

Beauty Journalists Are Uniting To Make The Voice Of The Beauty Services Industry Heard

Earlier this year the British Beauty Council worked with beauty journalists nationwide to lobby the government to put together a comprehensive financial package to support the beauty industry including a cut in VAT and sector specific support. The letter sent to Rishi Sunak prior to his announcement of the March Budget 2021 has garnered widespread support (needless to say it has been signed by every member of the Grazia beauty team) and it was hoped that the beauty industry's cry would be heard. That said, it takes a village. To show your support write to your local MP with the same sentiment. It's an age-old adage but every little helps and every voice counts. Let's bring beauty back from the brink.

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