The largest hairdressing chain in the Southern Hemisphere, Just Cuts, has said it has taken the decision to shut down for at least the next 4 weeks, "given the physical risk and mental toll on hairdressers and clients".

Yesterday, Just Cuts CEO and Founder Denis McFadden slammed the PM’s decision to backflip on the 30-minute haircut rule and called for the industry to be shut down.

You can read more on that here.

Here is the recent statement from Just Cuts:

Just Cuts CEO and Founder Denis McFadden said with client numbers dwindling to nothing, and with stylists and clients increasingly at risk given the impossibility of maintaining the recommended 4sqm distance, the network could wait no longer for the National Cabinet to do the right thing.

National Cabinet had agreed “that the instruction regarding 30 minutes per patron would be lifted but that the 4sqm per person must be strictly observed within the premises and that personal contact during the patron’s visit should be minimised wherever possible.”

There are 2500 fully qualified stylists in the Just Cuts Australian network, predominantly in shopping centres, and 3500 globally.

Just Cuts has 190 salons across all states and territories of Australia, 28 salons in NZ and 6 in the UK. The UK Government moved on 22 March to close salons with NZ following on 23 March. Hairdressing in Australia continues to be excluded from the list of non-essential services that needed to close and which included beauty salons.

Just Cuts Founder and CEO Denis McFadden said:

"We had hoped that common sense would finally kick in and the State, Federal and Territory Governments would act on the medical advice that safe distancing is critical. National Cabinet has today failed to act on our pleas to add hairdressing to the list of non-essential services.

"This is despite calls from medical experts including the Australian Medical Association for more and stronger self-distancing measures. This is despite the acknowledgement from Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Paul Kelly that 'for hairdressing it’s impossible to take those social distancing rules'.

"Our stylists are scared. Our customers are scared. How can we ask them to continue when everything and all the medical experts says the risks are too high?

"So, we have today taken the decision to shut our doors for at least the next 4 weeks and are recommending to our independently owned and operated franchises that they do the same.

"Our two company owned salons in Western Australia will close as of 5pm, Saturday 28 March 2020 and we anticipate that our franchisees will shut down within a similar timeframe. Please note, this is a temporary closure.

"We had hoped National Cabinet would understand the difficulties their failure to change position leaves our franchise salon owners and their teams in.

"We are extremely disappointed that our calls for action fell on deaf ears. We aren’t prepared to put the lives of our people or our clients on the line anymore. Livelihoods are still at stake.

"Can I also thank every single person who has been in contact to support our stance – your comments have been so very appreciated."