But the question of spas reopening has joined demands for clarity from the beauty and hospitality industries like, over the green light given to hairdressers for their reopening on July 4, but no concrete information given about beauty salons or nail bars. So when will spas open again in the UK?
Spas were among some of the first businesses to close upon the lockdown being announced in late March but are unfortunately likely to be among the last to open, due to difficulties with implementing successful social distancing measures.
Lesley Blair is the chair of the British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology (BABTAC). She told the Independent, “The impact of the lockdown has already been absolutely crippling to the entire sector, which contributes around £7bn to the UK economy and many businesses will just not survive the closure for much longer.”
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According to UK Spa Association, the spa and wellness industry employs around 45,000 people, so as well as potential clients unable to de-stress at the spa, those working in them are anxious to get back to work, wondering when will spas reopen?
So when will spas reopen and when can we get some much-needed R&R? Here’s everything you need to know…
When will spas reopen in the UK?
Much like the guidance given around beauty salons and nail bars reopening, massage therapists and spas have been given little idea of when they will be able to resume business. This means, that for the moment, it’s unclear when spas will be able to open again in the UK.
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Initially it was thought that the reopening date could be July 4, as hairdressers and other “close proximity” businesses were given the green light for opening on this date. Unfortunately, this didn’t happen and the UK Spa Association joined forces with others in the industry to demand clarity from the government.
For the moment however, it looks as though our spa trips will be off the table for a while.
What will social distancing look like when spas do start reopening?
While both professionals and spa-lovers are eager to get back to business as usual, health and safety remains the top priority for the government, the clients and the businesses. This means that strict social distancing guidelines will have to be in place if the spas are able to open safely.
This might include:
- Temperature checks, card-only payments and PPE: Spas are naturally hot on hygiene, however if they want to open again, additional updates and precautions will need to be taken.
- Floor markings to encourage at least one metre social distance.
- No magazines, food or refreshments.
- Showers pre – and post-treatment.
- No facials without complete PPE.
- Linens like duvets and pillows to be removed.
- A limited number of guests using the spa at once.
Despite these strict measures, which will see spas looking very different to how they did six months ago, the results of a survey by UK Spa Association suggests that spa-goers will be back straight away when allowed.
Out of the 5,000 people who took the survey, 80 per cent said that they would “go back to a spa now or soon” and the same number said they were expecting to “spend the same on their spa time”.
