Local lockdowns: How to prepare your business

Having come through so much in the past year, salons are still having to face the possibility of local lockdowns as winter approaches and the coronavirus pandemic continues. Here NHBF director, Tina Beaumont-Goddard, shares her advice…

Tina Beaumont-Goddard

What to expect

Local lockdowns can be confusing because they vary across the country. Local lockdowns are imposed to control spikes in coronavirus in certain areas, but a number of different measures can be imposed so it’s important to understand how your business may be affected.

Examples of rules that may be imposed include:

• Certain shops and venues are closed.
• Public events are cancelled.
• People cannot travel into or out of the area.
• Visits between households are restricted.
• The number of people who can gather is limited.

Help guard against local lockdowns

The NHBF’s #DoItRight campaign (nhbf.co.uk/Do-It-Right) aims to help reduce the threat of local lockdowns and specifically to stop salons having to close again.

It’s important to note that it’s now a legal requirement in England to follow the guidelines for safe working and Scotland is also stepping up its enforcement measures.

Find out more about what’s required across the four nations: nhbf.co.uk/four-nations

Know how it will affect your business

Good communication is key. Let your staff know what’s happening as soon as possible. For example, do you have to stop certain treatments, or does the salon have to close again temporarily?

If you need to cancel appointments, let your clients know as soon as you can and explain that you will be in contact to re-book when the local lockdown is lifted.

If you are a mobile business, it’s important to check exactly how the local lockdown may affect you, as rules can vary between salons and mobile businesses.

Employment law

Be careful if you are thinking of asking staff to work shorter hours, laying off staff or even making redundancies.

You must take legal advice before taking any action to ensure you are not breaking any employment laws.

Can I tell staff to take annual leave?

You can tell your employees when to take annual leave, but you must give them twice as much notice as the amount of leave you want them to take. For example, two weeks’ notice if you want them to take a week’s leave.

With this in mind, this may not work out if a local lockdown is imposed and you have to close overnight. Again, always seek legal advice.

Use downtime positively

We know how hard it is to stay positive during these very challenging times, but one great way to use any downtime is to revisit your marketing plan. Marketing is more vital than ever now, and there are a number of both no-cost and low-cost ways to market your business, from social media and online business listings to working with other local businesses who share your target market.

More information

For more information about lockdowns in your area, contact your local authority. You can find your local authority on the government website: gov.uk/find-local-council.

You can also email the Department of Health and Social Care for information: TTDHSCexternalaffairs@dhsc.gov.uk

www.nhbf.co.uk