'If a customer dies of coronavirus I'd be liable': Calderdale businesses ‘happy’ to stay shut

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s decision to reopen pubs, hairdressers, hotels, and cinemas on July 4 was met with overwhelming support from the general public.

However, for the people behind gyms, tattoo parlours and beauty salons, the decision will mean keeping doors shut to customers that much longer, including Leon Gladok, 62, who owns tattoo removal clinic Ravell, on Wesley Court.

He said: “I’m anticipating re-opening in September unfortunately.

“Many beauty and skin clinics have complained it’s unfair that hairdressers are allowed to open, but they serve customers from the back, while my sort of business deals with customers face frontal.

“Regarding pubs re-opening, I think it’s a risk, which the Government are taking because the economy is flat.

“It seems like the economy is being put ahead of public health.

“I’ve not received a business grant from Government throughout the pandemic, I’m lucky because I’m meeting the overheads because I’m semi-retired and have a pension.

“But I know that by re-opening, one of my customers could easily get coronavirus and die - then I would be liable for killing that person.”

Questions have been asked on Government’s decision to reopen pubs and drinking places before gyms, which benefit people’s health and wellbeing.

Paul Sterling, owner of PS4 Fitness, Brighouse, said he is happy to keep his gym closed after arguing his clients’ health is prioirty.

He said: “In a closed environment like a gym, a viral load could easily pass around.

“Heavy breathing, as well as sweat in a confined space will make a virus generate quicker and infect others beyond two-metre distancing.

“I’m happy to stay shut, and I’ve given my clients fitness programs to work on while in lockdown.

“It’s too big a risk for gyms to re-open at this stage.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson told Parliament last week the Government’s public health experts will work with sectors which remain closed, to help them become ‘Covid secure’ and open ‘as soon as possible’.