High Street observation

Mt61

I’ve never seen as many nail, beauty, hairdressers since Covid in our town- I too wonder if people are going without to get these treatments as they seem so expensive.
We also have loads of those Turkish barbers. Always empty, guys alway sat outside on a deck chair smoking. Bet they will be banking thousands.

I think many people see these treatments as an inexpensive treat, in hard times, rather than having expensive clothes or weekends away.

Thought they were more Vietnamese than Chinese running them.
Personally I would prefer to go for a good old fashioned manicure without the gels and false looking nails that ladies seem to have these days.

If you believe people in a nail bar or anywhere else may be victims of modern slavery - what should you do? It seems terrible to just walk away, but I have no idea what we could do to help free them. Would it be appropriate to report your suspicions to the police?

At one time last year, the largest group in terms of nationality coming across the channel in small boats were Vietnamese. They travel on from Paris, funded by their families. It’s a very established practice in rural areas in Vietnam. They can afford to pay more for transport, so much better boats and good arrangements to be collected from the shore. So they never end up in the refugee asylum system, but in the ‘black’ labour market. This includes nail bars. Two 15 y/o girls were taken by social services in a raid on a nail bar in our town. They were sleeping upstairs on mattresses on the floor. But at the first opportunity, they had, they ran away, presumably to rejoin their community.

paying their bills, or working

The town near me has a mall. 3 nail bars, one very big, and anytime I go there customers are queuing round the walls in the places. Gd and I had a look at a list of prices on a salon window, started at £28, last one was £92. No idea what all the different categories were. We just kept walking!

Applegran

If you believe people in a nail bar or anywhere else may be victims of modern slavery - what should you do? It seems terrible to just walk away, but I have no idea what we could do to help free them. Would it be appropriate to report your suspicions to the police?

Yes, you can do just that and the organised crime division will look into it.

GrannyGravy13

If the nail technicians are wearing masks, I guess you mean the Vietnamese or Chinese nail bars.

They wear masks as they use inferior products which contain suspect chemicals which are not found in products used in a respectable salon.

I never knew that. Mind you I've never had my nails done so I suppose I haven't taken much notice

Primrose53

Grandmadinosaur

We also have 3 Turkish barbers. I feel sorry for the 2 barbers that have been here for years.

Same here and they only take cash as do the kebab shops.

When we drive through other towns we notice the same thing. Turkish barbers everywhere with hardly any customers. In the hot weather a couple of hairdressers (men) take chairs outside and sit outside using their phones. We drive back hours later and they’re still out there. These shops are just fronts for dodgy stuff like drugs and money laundering.

Don't you think some people might be hiding in plain sight?

It's not too bright is it to be hairdresser number 4 or blatantly dodgy nailbar number 6.

A lot of these nail bars employ illegal immigrants who are exploited and brought over to this UK by ruflous criminals.

Quite a few have been raided by immigration and police near to where l live

Victims of Modern Slavery.

So l don't think Health and Safety will be a priority for them.

Still amazed by people who claim to have no money to live on but have their nails done and regular new tattoos

vietnamese here money use the from the govt open chinese
resaruants.... an devery year they send the young ones and themove on and make another resaruants i husband spoke afew diffent disticts then we went in the love him treated soo nice/same in mexican places
.no indian ones hate curry only like the naan bread
not to many nail places all the ladies that do them are local

Why does wearing a mask prevent anyone from having a conversation. Many people work in nail bars, it can be quite diverse. I think you are making an issue out of nothing...

I prefer it if the technicians don’t talk to me as with such limited English I find it a struggle to even have a basic conversation.
I have shortish acrylic nails, purely for the reason I have a chronic picking habit and with acrylics I just can’t pick. I hate all beauty routines, hairdresser etc., but view this one as important. The salon I use is run by a nice couple and all seems above board🤞

hollysteers

I prefer it if the technicians don’t talk to me as with such limited English I find it a struggle to even have a basic conversation.
I have shortish acrylic nails, purely for the reason I have a chronic picking habit and with acrylics I just can’t pick. I hate all beauty routines, hairdresser etc., but view this one as important. The salon I use is run by a nice couple and all seems above board🤞

Id love a hairdresser who let me relax in silence. I suppose lots of people like chat and I smile and reply but I'd like to switch off.

Agree! Awful places.

Well said,Allira.

My small town has about a dozen hairdressers, and half a dozen barbers, nail bars, vapeshops and fast food outlets, 4 charity shops and 2 florists. The clothes shop, the yarn/thread/fabric shop lasted nearly 2 years, and the greengrocer less than a year.
We had a lot of useful mom&pop shops, but the folks have all retired and been unable to sell on.
In the last few months though we have had four small grocer corner type shops, but 2 have already been raided by police!