Cut and run! Moment Welsh beauty salon customers including woman wearing towel with hair dye still on her head flee as it's raided by police for staying open during lockdown
- Euphoria Tanning Hair and Beauty in Cwmbran, South Wales, was fined £1,000
- CCTV shows eight customers fleeing from police after escaping via the fire exit
- A woman can be seen with a towel on her shoulders and treatment still on roots
- It was the second time that salon had broken rules after being fined in June 2020This is the moment beauty salon customers including a woman wearing a towel with hair dye still on her head flee as it's raided by police for staying open during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Euphoria Tanning Hair and Beauty in Cwmbran, South Wales, was fined £1,000 for operating on January 16 despite the current restrictions.
CCTV footage shows eight people making a run for it after escaping through the fire exit. One woman can be seen with a towel covering her shoulders and treatment still on her roots.
Gwent Police found the tanning beds had recently been used and beauty treatments had been taking place.
It was the second time that the salon had broken the rules after being issued its first fixed penalty notice in June last year.
Beauty salon customers caught on camera fleeing Euphoria Tanning Hair and Beauty in Cwmbran, South Wales, which was fined £1,000 for operating on January 16
The force said it got a tip that the salon was still open and people were seen going through the front door.
But there was no answer when officers tried to get inside as the customers made their getaway.
Under Wales' lockdown rules, all hair salons and barbers are required to close. The owner has been fined £1,000 for the 'blatant breach' of coronavirus regulations.
Inspector Aled George said: 'This was a blatant breach of Covid-19 regulations. Businesses who flout the regulations are behaving irresponsibly and putting the lives of their customers, staff and the wider community at risk.As this incident shows, we – together with our partners from Torfaen Council – will take action to keep the public safe. We will continue to take enforcement action against businesses and the public who breach Covid regulations.
'We understand this is a really difficult time for our communities, the majority of businesses and residents, are doing the right thing by adhering to Welsh Government regulations and we would like to thank them for their support.
'Coronavirus levels remain high across much of Gwent, and by following Welsh Government regulations we're all saving lives and protecting the NHS.
'We will continue to engage, explain and encourage our communities to work together with us to keep everyone safe. Everyone has a part to play in stopping the spread of this virus.'
Two customers seen making a run for it as they escape the beauty salon in South Wales. It was the second time that the salon had broken the rules after being issued a fine in June last year
A woman seen with treatment still on her roots after fleeing the beauty parlour. Inspector Aled George said: 'This was a blatant breach of Covid-19 regulations'
Councillor Mandy Owen, of Torfaen council, said: 'It's clear from the camera footage obtained following the latest visit that the business and customers were aware they were breaking lockdown restrictions putting themselves, others and the NHS at risk.
'This is the second time the business has been issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice. Public Protection Officers issued the first fixed penalty notice in June 2020.
'This is very disappointing.'
She added: 'The vast majority of businesses have put measures in place to comply with the regulations, and are working really hard to keep their businesses running, whilst maintaining the safety of their staff and customers.
'We'd like to say thank you to all the businesses and residents who are doing the right thing and complying with the current lockdown.'
Euphoria Tanning Hair and Beauty, pictured above. Under Wales' lockdown rules, all hair salons and barbers are required to close
It follows Wales' chief medical officer saying easing of the country's lockdown restrictions is unlikely until the end of February at the earliest.
Dr Frank Atherton warned that headroom for restoring freedoms was 'quite limited' despite the reproduction rate of coronavirus shrinking.
The R value for the virus on Wednesday was said to be between 0.7 and 0.9, while figures from Public Health Wales showed that the country's seven-day case rate stood at 204 cases per 100,000 people, down from 270 cases per 100,000 on Friday.
But Dr Atherton told the Welsh Government's press briefing that the rate of transmissions was still too high to consider either removing tough lockdown rules or reopening schools.
Asked whether there would be 'glimmer of hope' for people in Wales when the current restrictions are reviewed at the end of this week, Dr Atherton said: 'I don't want to pre-empt what the First Minister might announce on Friday but my advice on the headroom for opportunity is quite limited at the moment.
'We do have a 21-day review cycle and towards the end of February we will look again where we are with community transmission, NHS capacity and vaccinations and that will be the time to think about further relaxations.'
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