A Sandbach hairdresser has described the government's roadmap out of lockdown as "not ideal".

Lisa Archer, the owner of LA Hairvolution in Hightown, believes the restrictions could be eased sooner due to the investment made in making businesses 'Covid-safe'.

She told Sandbach Nub News: "It's things like allowing people to go back to contact sports before us where they will be bumping into people outside without any PPE. I just know how much money and time we have invested in making sure the salon is safe; it would be like visiting the doctor.

"I know we keep people safe and I just feel like we have been put on the back burner."

The government's plans to gradually ease the national lockdown include having children back in school from 8 March and returning to the 'rule of six' outdoors from 29 March.

Hair salons and non-essential retail will be allowed to open no sooner than 12 April under the staged approach.

Lisa said the lockdowns have had a "massive" impact on her business over the last year.

"Financially, we're down 50 per cent or more year on year. In the first lockdown, it was just awful with my business model because the leases are high and you just don't have enough money to cover everything," Lisa explained.

The cost of the lockdown meant Lisa had to downsize the size of the business to reduce the rent and let an employee go, which she described as "absolutely awful".

Lisa feels the government has not done enough to support the hair and beauty sector through the lockdowns when compared to other industries.

She said: "I understand the government have had one whopping challenge and they couldn't have met everyone's needs across the board, but some people have benefitted more than others in the support.

"Some people have really small leases, at £500-600 a month, whereas you've got other salons who have huge leases and the funding was exactly the same for everybody. That's why I had to downsize because I had to get rid of part of my salon to make it smaller."

Lisa also believes the hair and beauty sector should be included in measures like the VAT relief granted to the hospitality sector last summer.

"I always try and keep going, but when you build a business from scratch and you've done well and you've been successful and to watch it literally go into reverse has been heartbreaking," Lisa said.

Despite the challenges, Lisa said she is looking forward to seeing her clients again when the salon's doors reopen in April and remains "positive" about the future.

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