Hairdressers and gyms reopen again as national lockdown lifts

Brits flocked to the gym at midnight and had haircuts at the crack of dawn as the new tier system came into force today.

Businesses that had been forced to shut during lockdown wasted no time in opening when the restrictions ended at 12am on December 2.

Some of the most hardcore fitness fanatics hit the weights for a late night workout as one London gym owner threw open his doors at the stroke of midnight.

Andreas Michli, 34, welcomed customers to Zone Gym in Wood Green with open arms after being forced to close by police. The owner was fined £77,000 and taken to court last month by Haringey Council for trying to defy lockdown rules.

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Gyms, hairdressers and non-essential shops were all forced to close for a month on November 5.

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

Hundreds of customers queued outside shops before dawn this morning as England sprung back into life.

Customers were seen lining up outside Primark from as early as 5am as non-essential stores welcomed people back inside on what has been dubbed ‘Wild Wednesday’.

The budget fashion store will be opening for 24-hours in an attempt to claw back some of the economic hit caused by the lockdown.

Ministers voted for the Government’s tougher three-tier system on Tuesday after Boris Johnson faced the biggest rebellion of his premiership.

It means that from today, 99% of the country – around 55 million people – will be placed in the harshest two tiers. Only Cornwall, the Isle of Wight and the Isles of Scilly were afforded the freedoms of tier one.

The new system is stricter than before, with pubs, bars and restaurants in tier two only allowed to serve alcohol alongside a substantial meal.

That was a rule in tier three under the old system, but now hospitality venues in the strictest tier are only allowed to open as takeaways.

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.’

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.

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

Boris Johnson told the Commons yesterday: ‘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.

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