The hair and beauty industry has been forced to shut down throughout 2021 due to lockdown restrictions.

However, today has seen many flock to their salon or barbers to get their hair cut – or indeed rectify any DIY lockdown trims.

Those in the industry reported that many customers were getting hair colouring treatments, having been without for so long.

Mahogany Hairdressing has salons in Turl Street and Little Clarendon Street.

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Antony Licata, director of Mahogany Hairdressing, said: “Is it manic? Yes, but in a nice way.

“We’ve got people sat outside waiting on a bench as we’ve got a one in, one out policy and we’re not allowing people to sit waiting inside.

“We’re booked for about five weeks solid and the phone is off the hook this morning.

“It’s controlled mania but it’s good to be open.

“It’s been such a long time for some people – lots of people are wanting their colours sorting and that’s where people seem to be most desperate.”

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Shirley Popham, operational director at Popham Hairdressing, said salons were operating at 50 per cent capacity because of coronavirus restrictions.

She added: “We’re fully booked until May 11 – it’s crazy but it’s amazing and we’re delighted to reopen.

“People have been booking online, and we’ve had hundreds of emails too, ever since the date in February when it was announced that today would be the reopening for hair salons.

“We’ve been closed for so long since last March, and while the grants have been supportive, the last six weeks have been particularly tough with the lack of income, and the bills have not gone away.”

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Paul Pigneguy, partner at Blue Boar Hairdressing in Blue Boar Street, said: “We’re booked up and taking lots of time for each client.

“We’ve been closed for seven months of the last year or so, so it’s very positive coming back today.

“We’ve got lots of clients wanting to get colours done – that has been popular as they’ve not been able to do it for such a long time.”

Noriko Oxley, from Classique Unisex Hair Salon in Botley Road, added: “It has been so busy, it’s been fully booked for today for the last few months, and the phone keeps ringing.

“We’ve been ringing the customer to say when we’re ready – we can’t have loads of people inside, and it saves them waiting outside in the cold and the snow that we had this morning.”