skip to main content

Hairdressers and barbers reopen in Scotland

Barber Maggie McGillivray trims Sam Rosenblom's hair at Tony Mann's Barber Shop in Giffnock near Glasgow
Barber Maggie McGillivray trims Sam Rosenblom's hair at Tony Mann's Barber Shop in Giffnock near Glasgow

Hairdressers and barbers have reopened in Scotland as further coronavirus restrictions are lifted.

Visits to hairdressers and barbers must be pre-booked in advance.

Tony Mann opened his barber shop in Giffnock, near Glasgow, at 6am to enable people to get their hair cut for the first time in months.

It will be a busy day for the four barbers working, with 96 customers booked in and the shop staying open until 8pm.

When he reopened in July last year after the first lockdown, Mr Mann opened at midnight and worked for 24 hours.

He decided not to do the same this time but is excited to be welcoming back customers, adding, "it's been four months since the last day we cut hair, so the feeling today is slight anxiety and slight worry, but I'm also feeling really excited and happy because my shop is open again."


Latest coronavirus stories


Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced the country's route map out of lockdown on 16 March, with Easter Monday seeing customers allowed back into some businesses.

Some non-essential shops can also reopen, including garden centres and homeware stores, and click-and-collect services will resume.

University and college students will return for in-person teaching and outdoor contact sports for 12 to 17-year-olds will restart.

This will be followed on 26 April with a wider reopening of the economy, with beer gardens and gyms returning to trading and more people being able to meet up outdoors and inside public places.

Ms Sturgeon previously said she hopes the country will return to normality by the summer.

The easing of restrictions has been welcomed by retail groups, but hospitality businesses have been more sceptical.

The Scottish Beer & Pub Association said that pubs will have missed out on selling eight million pints at Easter due to the fact they are still required to remain closed.