With more businesses able to open - with safety measures in place - if they want to from Saturday (July 4) including hairdressers, cafes and pubs, we caught up some locally to find out what’s happening, how things have been for them, and how it feels to reopen.
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Co-owner Pete Mcbride from Hair @ 20 on the Triangle said their business was ten years old in April.
But instead of celebrating, they were locked down like everyone else.
They took the opportunity to refurbish the interior – and more recently he and wife Jacqui have been planning how to implement safety guidelines issued for hairdressers, ready for their Saturday reopening.
Jacqui explained it will be a strict one-in, one-out system by phone appointment only, with clients asked to arrive on time to allow for cleaning between sessions. They will be asked to wear masks, and Jacqui will be wearing a “full visor”. And the ‘social side’ will be missing: no refreshments or magazines, and no waiting area, with clients being shown straight to their chair.
Jacqui Mcbride behind the desk in Hair @ 20, which is being decorated and prepared for reopening
It’s different, but at least it’s being able to trade again. So how does it feel reopening after all this time?
“It’s a little bit scary. It’s a little bit nerve-racking. But I’m looking forward to seeing everybody again soon,” said Jacqui.
“The last month, thinking about [July 4] coming up, I was quite nervous. But, we have been getting contact with clients, so I’ve got nice clients booked in for the next few weeks, and they all know what’s going to be ahead of them... the phone’s been non-stop all week. Which is nice. And it’s lovely to hear from everyone. Everybody that we’ve heard from has all been safe. That’s what’s really nice to hear.”
But she said it’s “going to be completely different to how it’s ever been in all the years I’ve been doing hairdressing. Completely different”.
And it’s been strange not doing hairdressing for all those weeks.
“This has been the longest time, other than when I had my daughter, that I’ve not actually been cutting hair. So it’s been a strange thing. But we’ve all had to stay nice and safe, which is what everybody’s doing. I was ready to close when we closed up on the 21st March, before we got locked down on the 23rd, because I was just getting really worried. But it’s an experience we’ve all gone through together...
“This is the ‘nervous bit’ really. Because we’re all opening up. Pubs and restaurants opening next Saturday. So it’s, ‘what’s going to happen from there’ really. As long as we all get it right, abide by what we need to do, hopefully we’ll keep it nice and safe.”
There will be other choices at the Triangle, if you want to do something about that Covid hair style, with the reopening of the barber’s at the back of Miss Ellie’s billed for Monday (July 6) according to a sign in the window, and both Triangle Cuts and The Little Hair Co opening on Saturday.
Will Smith from The Little Hair Co, pictured shortly after the salon opened in June 2019
“It’s very crazy getting everything in place,” said Will Smith from The Little Hair Co, which has been on the Triangle for less than a year, and which is organising a celebration for reopening day.
Like all similar businesses, they’ve been working out how theirs can adhere to government guidelines, in what is, as the name suggests, a small space.
“We have had to space out all our appointments so will we will be opening seven days a week, 9am till 10pm all seven days,” said Will.
Outside nearby Triangle Cuts, owner Pavel Ali was sweeping at the front of his previously shuttered shop. He said it had been a difficult time during the closure, but like others they’d been able to carry out refurbishments, and had also been planning safety measures.
“I can’t wait to be open!” he said.
While nail bars and beauty salons have to remain closed for the moment, July 4 is also the date when cafes and pubs can reopen.
Il Picchio, probably one of the smallest cafes in the city, plans to start up again on Saturday.
But how do you do social distancing in that kind of space?
“It’s complicated,” said Terry Hackett.
“We're supposed to calculate the maximum number of customers that can reasonably follow social distancing guidelines (2m, or 1m with risk mitigation where 2m is not viable, is acceptable) given the space available. We're supposed to reconfigure indoor and outdoor seating and tables to maintain social distancing guidelines between customers of different households or support bubbles, for example, increasing the distance between tables.
“We'll put out hand sanitizer, and / or disinfectants wipes, and clean all the tables with disinfectant as well as condiments such as salt/pepper etc. after use.”
He said they’re also planning to reduce the menu “to make doubly sure everything is fresh”, and contactless payments are already used.
“It’s going to be strange to go back after so long. Many of our customers have been in touch over the lock down period asking when we’ll reopen, and asking after our general welfare, which has been a great comfort to us knowing that we were as much a support to them as they have been to us over the near five years we’ve been open.
“We’re looking forward to opening but with some, of course, trepidation as to how things will turn out.”
We’ve reported before on other Triangle cafes Miss Ellie’s and The Songbird, which have already been offering a takeaway service - although owner Jackie Tomlin said The Songbird won’t be opening for anything other than takeaway for a few weeks yet for logistical reasons (namely finding some storage for some furniture to enable social distancing). And Miss Ellie’s said they’ll only be using outside tables, “possibly” opening with inside at the end of July.
On the pub front, it’s thought The Butcher’s Hook won’t be reopening yet, although online options have been extended with the addition of a Saturday collection service. The Bitterne Park Hotel told us they "won't be opening just yet as the pub is currently undergoing construction". Slightly further afield, The Station Pub has said it’s reopening on July 4th, and has announced a range of detailed safety measures on its Facebook page. The Dolphin in St Denys has said it’s reopening for drinks only on Saturday from 2pm, with “all necessary precautions”, and The South Western Arms has also said it’s reopening on Saturday and posted preparation photos online.
We’ve previously reported on various other businesses that are already open at the Triangle, from rideride and the hardware shop to Piper’s Emporium and takeaways.
Track 21 Interiors will be reopening on Saturday, and the nearby Sasanian Persian rug shop reopened “by appointment” a couple of weeks ago.
Owner Sas Ghayeghchi said he’s mainly been catching up on clients’ rugs in for cleaning or repair, but it’s been a sad time for him, as he lost both a friend in London, and an in-law, to the virus.
It’s a stark reminder of the reasons behind business closures and new safety measures for reopening – and our thoughts of course go out to Sas and his circle, and anyone else who’s been similarly affected.
• We couldn't include every local business, but feel free to contact us with your relevant news and we'll do our best... No promises, mind!
Advice from the council about using city centre hospitality businesses
While local businesses certainly need support, here’s Southampton City Council’s advice, in their own words, to customers - particularly in relation to “city centre hospitality businesses”:
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- check businesses are open before visiting and what new measures and processes they have put in place – e.g. bookings only (see below), ordering via app / phone, queuing areas, whether they’re still accepting cash payments
- book ahead where possible – many hospitality businesses are operating on a pre-bookings only basis, and any that allow walk-ins are likely to have queues due to reduced capacity as a result of social distancing. Even if not mandatory, pre-booking is strongly recommended where possible
- be aware of current social distancing guidelines – the national guidance remains two metres, and ‘one metre plus’ where two metres isn’t possible. Hospitality businesses may be adopting the one metre plus option, and will be taking other steps to mitigate the risk of coronavirus transmission
- be aware that hospitality businesses are being asked to keep a record of every customer to assist with potential contact tracing. Data must be collected and stored in line with data protection laws
- plan their travel and remember that public transport operators will have reduced capacity on their services and face coverings must be worn by passengers
- adhere to all current public health guidance, including stay at home if you or someone in your household is unwell with coronavirus symptoms and get tested, wash hands regularly with soap and water or using hand sanitiser, and avoid touching eyes, mouth or nose with unwashed hands
- be respectful to staff and fellow customers.
Updated 3/7/2020 with info from Bitterne Park Hotel