THE owner of a Barrhead beauty salon fears she could end up “marooned” as the only trader in the town’s Main Street who is still banned from going back to work.

Avril Leca, who has owned The Beauty Centre for 25 years, is fuming that hairdressers and barbers will be able to welcome back customers from next Wednesday while she remains unable to see clients.

She told the Barrhead News: “I want to highlight how the beauty industry is being unfairly penalised by the Scottish Government.

“I will literally be the only shop that will not be open on Barrhead’s Main Street.

“You can go on holiday for two weeks, return and go to a pub or restaurant, shop in a crowded store and be less than a metre from a hairdresser but you can’t have your nails or waxing done by a highly-qualified therapist who is already using PPE.

“I have a hairdresser who rents a room, so I will have to open my salon to a standard of hygiene set by the guidelines – and then watch her clients walk through my closed beauty area to have their hair done.

“This is really disadvantaging a workforce, many of whom are self-employed and are already struggling.

“Beauty salons contribute millions of pounds to the economy per year, not to mention supporting people’s mental wellbeing.”

Avril also told how she contacted East Renfrewshire Council to ask for an extension or partial refund on her ‘skin piercing’ licence while she is unable to trade, only to be left disappointed.

However, a council spokesman explained the local authority’s hands were tied.

He said: “The Scottish Government granted an automatic extension, of up to three months after the expiry date of the licence, to apply for a renewal.

“The council does not hold the legal powers required to extend or refund licences.”

Although there is as yet no planned date for nail and beauty salons reopening, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she has “huge sympathy” for people such as Avril.

“These things are under ongoing review,” she added. “In very simplistic terms, because people have asked me what’s the difference between a hairdresser and somebody in a beauty salon, one of the things is the degree of face-to-face contact, where a hairdresser will not always but perhaps more often be standing behind you, whereas somebody doing your nails will be face-to-face with you.

“All of these decisions are being taken with the best intentions in mind and for the best health reasons.”