Quinn Blakey 'Great Reopening': Police patrol Bradford hairdressers as owner arrives at salon

Sinead Quinn, the owner of Quinn Blakey Hairdressing, in Oakenshaw, has not paid the fixed penalty notices she was issued with last year for repeatedly breaching lockdown rules.

Kirklees Council has now been granted an injunction forbidding Ms Quinn from opening her salon during the current lockdown.

The salon’s Instagram page recently posted a number of messages about “The Great Opening” on January 30.

Ms Quinn arrived at the salon in a black Range Rover at around 9.20am today and remained in the vehicle for around half an hour before driving away.

The salon boss shared a video on social media of police parked up outside the salon, following a warning that she could be arrested if she attempted to reopen.

A copy of the council's injunction was posted on the salon's Instagram page on Friday.

A letter with the injunction, dated January 29, reads: “Kirklees Council have today been to court and have been granted an injunction that forbids you whether by yourself or by instructing or encouraging or permitting any other person from opening the premises known as Quinn Blakey Hairdressing, at Bradford Road, Oakenshaw, Bradford, for the purposes of allowing members of the public to enter the said premises.

“There is a power of arrest attached to this injunction meaning that should you breach this injunction you may be arrested and brought to court.

“The injunction is in place until March 31 2021.”

The letter said a further hearing on February 8 will reconsider the application and whether the order should continue.

The injunction was granted at Leeds County Court under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act.

In November, magistrates ordered the salon to close until the end of the lockdown after Ms Quinn was observed serving customers on six days while national regulations were in force.

The council said it had now started a prosecution process regarding the salon’s unpaid fines for breaching lockdown rules.

Paul Davies, a councillor with Kirklees Council, said: “To date, all of the fixed penalty notices issued to the hairdresser for not complying with lockdown rules remain unpaid.

“These lockdown rules, set by Government, exist to keep people safe by preventing the spread of Covid-19. Blatantly disregarding them in this way was irresponsible.

“With the time given to pay the fines now passed, we have started a prosecution process and are currently putting our case together.

“This process can take some time and could potentially lead to a trial. Punishment could be an unlimited fine, decided by the court.

“In the meantime, we’ll continue to monitor the situation and, if further breaches of lockdown rules do occur, we will need to take the same appropriate action, which would be the case for any business.

“I’m also urging people not to visit, or use, any business that is operating in breach of the lockdown rules. If you do, you are putting your own health, and your family’s, at risk and you could also be fined too.”