English spas closing on Thursday due to second national lockdown

Following a statement from Prime Minister Boris Johnson, English spas will close on Thursday 5 November as the country enters its second Lockdown of 2020.

Johnson announced the shutdown would last four weeks, but other government sources have hinted the lockdown may be extended, depending on the state of infection rates.

However, he also revealed that the government’s furlough scheme will be continued until December.

After the first lockdown, the UK Spa Association (UKSA), led by GM, Helena Grzesk, and chair, Adam Chatterley, teamed up with industry media and key operators to lobby MPs and the various government departments involved.

The hard-fought campaign involved the government going back on reopening dates for both saunas and steamrooms and close-contact services, meaning that although spas reopened on 13 July, many had to run without full services until October.

Grzesk told Spa Business that the UKSA conducted an emergency call with the government after the Prime Minister’s broadcast on Saturday.

She explained that the UKSA’s main goal is to urge government to learn from the mistakes made during the previous reopening phase and for spa, wellness and beauty to reopen in an organised fashion.

"We're taking a measured approach to the news because the UKSA understands that the COVID-19 situation requires a collective approach," she said, "so, we're focusing on the forward strategy and aiming to work alongside government to avoid segmenting the industry and to facilitate an effective and organised reopening.

"Having successfully lobbied policymakers after the first lockdown, the UKSA has forged an open dialogue with government. Our goal is to maintain this constant communication throughout the process to ensure the industry is supported, reopens successfully and comes back stronger than ever.

"We know our framework is effective and that we can reopen safely because we're one of the best-prepared industries in terms of high standards of hygiene and cleanliness. More to the point, weekly data from SAGE shows that transmission rates in our sector (Personal Care) are consistently low."