A PROMINENT hairdressing salon has made the difficult decision to close its doors, prioritising the safety of staff and clients amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Red Ivie Hairdressing shut up shop indefinitely Wednesday evening after a meeting with staff earlier that day who shared the unanimous view that closing was the right thing to do.
Owner Rebecca Foreman said the decision was not made lightly, but reiterated the safety of the community was paramount.
“We let the girls tell us how they felt about the situation, which just re-confirmed how I felt about it all and our safety as well as the damage it would do to our community if someone was to catch it,” Ms Foreman said.
“We brought as many clients forward as we could and worked to the capacity that we could legally work before shutting the doors Wednesday night.”
While Prime Minister Scott Morrison reversed the national cabinet’s 30-minute restrictions on sittings for hairdresser and barber appointments, Ms Foreman said it would not impact the decision to close.
“I was bombarded with messages after that change and I had to reply saying that we had made the decision because we value their health and our health and we need the community to survive,” she said.
“We are hoping that everyone can eventually make that stand to be able to stay home, so we can lower the spread.”
Owner of the business for over eight years, Ms Foreman said the staff’s selflessness to stand down for an indefinite period filled her with pride.
“They were willing to stand down for what we hope is a short-term closure so we can bounce back quicker,” she said.
“They all have families – one is about to become a grandmother – but there is just the bigger picture we need to look at and they were willing to do their little part for the community.”
She admitted she knew this day was coming when the pandemic was declared earlier this month and social-distancing guidelines started to ramp up.
“Having to step-up the procedures has not been difficult, but it has been timely and costly,” she said.
“The other side of it is that mental stress because we are all on-guard, our mind is always ticking and on top of all that you are trying to create a fabulous experience for the clients.
“My team – bless their cotton socks – they did a fantastic job making everyone followed the procedure and still tried to keep a good vibe.”
Ms Foreman said the support she and her team had received over the past few days has been overwhelming.
“A big majority of our clients have been pouring messages in, wishing us well and thanking us for taking the steps needed for the safety of the community,” Ms Foreman said.
“We have a strong and loyal clientele and we value their health, so that’s why we are doing this.
“I just want to reach out to the community to make sure they stay safe and do all they can to help us all get back on our feet once the wave has been ridden.”
