Local businesses start to feel the pinch due to the virus
SUNNINGHILL – With touch ill-advised among individuals to reduce the spread of Covid-19, hair salons and barbershops are having a heavy effect financially.
Ahead of the national lockdown, the Fourways Review spoke to local businesses to find out how their businesses have been impacted.
Contact businesses that have been affected included those in hair salons and barbershops. Located in the Sunninghill Village Shopping Centre is Naledi’s Hair Salon. Reportedly, they have felt the impact of the virus for almost a month, with fewer and fewer customers coming in to get their hair done.
“We have been hit very hard since the virus spread in the country. People are scared now to come to public spaces,” Eugenia Mensah, a hairstylist said.
“The gents who work on the men and haircuts don’t have many people come through. The ladies have suffered as well since the outbreak.”
The normal flow of work between everyone in the salon would have three customers each, but have since been reduced to one each.
“We have put in some measures in place here, like cleaning up more and we’ve got hand sanitisers as well,” said Mensah.
A floor below the salon is the Dads and Lads Barbershop. Since Monday, things have been eerily quiet in the shop.
Manager of the shop Belka Hadj said he suspects things will get even quieter in the next coming days at the barbershop. “More and more people are getting infected with the virus. I’ve had one or two people come in for a cut, but after that, nothing.
“The measures we have put in place are having hand sanitiser by the entrance. Any time I touch the counter or the customers, I sanitise my hands. But it is not easy to keep a distance away from the person while we cut their hair. We cannot stand one or two metres behind them.
“My son is here with me while his mom is at work. I would love to go home and spend more time with him rather than have him here. It’s not safe for him to be here.”
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