Aloha!
As the House has now been back up and running for a whopping NINE weeks!!! (say whaaaaatttt?!) We thought it was a good time to re-visit our guidelines and update our most frequently asked questions for you guys. Although there are still super strict rules in place that we aren't yet able to relax, there are some things that we have been able to tweak along the way. Please be understanding of our new policy as we are not trying to be difficult, nor be the bad guys, we are just simply working with the cards that we have been dealt. Just remember that this is not for forever!
So, here goes it.
HOW DIFFERENT IS THE SALON FROM BEFORE?
Sadly, as this pandemic has been so brutal, we have had to make big changes to how our House ticks compared to how we ran before. We are still trying to make our space as fun and as friendly as we normally do, and sure, it does sure look a little different to your pre-lockdown visit, but we are all still the same humans non the less! We shall be giggling, pampering and preening, still with a skip in our step, and the odd bit of banter, we promise.
WHAT CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE?
Due to this current climate, we have put in place strict social distancing measures to keep you safe as visitors, and all of our staff safe.
You will notice the following changes:
★ Outdoor waiting area. (See below).
★ Sanitisation station at the point of entrance & available hand sanitiser's throughout the salon.
★ Partition screens between each sink at the backwash area.
★ Empty section will be left between each cutting / colour section to allow for 2m social distancing.
★ Full sanitisation of all tools, chairs & sections/ sink area after every client's appointment.
★ Thorough sanitisation of toilet after every use.
★ Strict sickness policy is in place for staff & clients who have potential COVID 19 symptoms.
★ Limited drinks menu, but also no drinks/food will be able to be brought with you. (See Below).
★ More frequent cleaning of common touch points.
★ Temporary £5 covid surcharge on top of appointments. (See below).
★ Visors will be worn by staff at all times.
★ Masks will be worn by your stylist the entire duration of your appointment.
★ No Mask No Service Policy. (See Below).
★ Disposable biodegradable gowns will be provided for clients as well as a disposable 2ply mask.
★ Temporary suspension on certain services. (See below).
★ Swapped out use of towels to disposable biodegradable towels.
★ Locked door policy. (See below).
★ Card payments only. (See below).
★ Appointments will only be taken through the online booking system or through calling the salon. (See below)
★ Digital magazines which can be accessed using your own smartphone / tablet.
DO I HAVE TO WEAR A MASK? WHAT IF I AM EXEMPT?
Unfortunately due to the nature of our profession, we cannot accept any exemption cards as we work in such a close proximity with all of your wonderful faces, so we do also require for you to wear a mask when you are visiting us at the House.
Please be understanding of this and know that we are not trying to be unhelpful. We are only trying to protect everyone who is visiting the salon and also keeping our staff safe and able to keep on working.
WHAT SERVICES ARE TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED?
We have temporarily suspended the following services:
★ Under 12's.
★ Services that exceed 3hrs.
★ Style bar/dry hair appointments and tutorials.
★Hair Extension appointments for new clients.
★'Kerastraight' appointments for hair below shoulder length.
★ Fringe Trim appointments (as a stand alone appointment).
WHEN WILL THE TEMPORARY SERVICES RESUME?
We are hoping to bring these temporary changes back as soon as we can. Sadly we cannot give a time frame on this just yet as there are different factors for each, but we will be constantly revising this so please keep checking back on our social media platforms or website. We will bring things back in phases so some services may appear again before others.
For our younger fans, we are really sorry that we cannot invite you guys back just yet. This is to do with us needing to keep to the strict social distancing measures at the House, and as you guys would need to come with a parent or guardian, we just don't have the space to allow for that capacity that other venues may have to be able to allow for this. Once the distancing measures change and we can open our space back up like we did before all of this craziness, we would love to see you guys again for a good catch up and a hair makeover. We are having nightmares about what type of bowl cut your gran has decided to give you during lockdown.....
WHY AREN'T YOU TAKING APPOINTMENTS FOR UNDER 12's IF THEY CAN ATTEND ALONE?
This is a suspended service and we know that this is not ideal for many of you. There are many of our under 12's that do need assistance during their visit with us which is not possible at this point due to us having to control the amount of bodies in the building. Unfortunately some of our under 12's that could attend alone may find this new experience rather stressful without a guardian, so to keep them guys safe and to help our stylists we are pausing this service to keep everything fair and manageable.
CAN I BRING MY OWN DRINK/SANDWICH WITH ME SINCE YOU HAVE A LIMITED DRINKS MENU?
Currently we are unable to produce one of our House famous 'Drink Of The Month'/ alcoholic treats or the little choppy treat we throw at you for being good, nor are we to allow anyone to bring any food or drink items with them. This is because we are having to follow government guidelines, and with you guys having to wear a mask during your visit because of close contact, one of our extra tasty treats from the drinks menu would make it too irresistible for you to keep your mask on! We apologise for this but we are able to give you bottled water upon request so you don't dehydrate, any of our scrumptious coffee's / herbal teas, a good ole' fashioned brew, AND OF COURSE our banging' hot chocolates. All of our drinks will be served in 100% compostable & biodegradable cups to keep in like with government guidelines. Do not fear, the rest of our drinks menu shall return when we reach a more appropriate climate.
CAN I BRING ANYONE WITH ME TO MY APPOINTMENT? WHAT ABOUT MY KIDS?
We are very sorry to have to say this but we are having to be very strict on allowing single person appointments only. This means that you cannot bring anyone with you during your visit to the house, including children. We know and understand that this will not be favourable to many of you, but please understand what we are facing as a business. We are working to strict capacity limits, for yours and our team's safety. We are currently facing a very tough time and we need your full understanding and cooperation on this.
CAN I POP DOWN ON THE OFF CHANCE YOU WILL BE AVAILABLE TO DO MY HAIR?
Now we have reopened, we are having to run a strict 'locked door' policy. This means that sadly we will not be able to let you in if you do not have an appointment. Unfortunately we cannot talk through the door to book an appointment either, as we are needing to keep the environment safe, and as our computer is at the desk, shouting is not an option. We will be able to book you in via the phone line, or you can book a haircut appointment through through our online booking system which is available for your use through our website.
WHY ARE YOU CHARGING ME A £5 SURCHARGE?
Here at House of Quirk we have not increased our prices this year, but due to us having to work to such a strict limited capacity of clients, all of the PPE /new measures, plus bringing back all of our staff to be able to work as efficiently as we can, we have been forced to temporarily add on a £5 fee to help us remain open for business. We really wish we did not have to do this. We are concious that everyone is facing a tough time financially at the moment so please understand that we would not do this unless we absolutely had to. We are hoping to drop this temporary charge as soon as we are able to drop the social distancing, ppe and capacity measures. We hope you can understand our reasons for this and hoping that you can see what pressures we are facing.
WILL YOUR TOILET BE AVAILABLE FOR USE?
Yes! We will not make you cross your legs and weep silently in to your mask, don't worry. We will be keeping on top of cleaning the bathroom after every use, so please make a team member aware after you have used the facilities if they haven't already spotted you.
IM CLASSED VULNERABLE/HIGH RISK, WILL YOU BE DOING HOME VISITS?
Unfortunately, as we have never done a home visit service previously and this is not a part of our business model, we are unable to offer this as an extended service. Apart from the safety issue, we are a small salon with a small team and all hands are much needed on deck. We are totally understanding of anyone who is feeling rather nevous or anxious about visiting us during these rather choppy waters, but please do give us a call and we can talk you through how our new day works and the measures that we have in place to hopefully reassure your safety.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY 'LOCKED DOOR' POLICY?
As we are having to work to a strict limited capacity of humans in the building at any one time due to social distancing, we are only admitting those of you who have a pre booked appointment with us. If you do not have an appointment and you turn up to the salon, sadly we cannot let you in. All appointments must be booked in advance and this can be done through calling us up at the salon or by booking through our website's online booking system.
HOW COME YOU HAVE AN OUTSIDE WAITING AREA? CAN I NOT WAIT INSIDE?
As we are unable to use our cosy indoor waiting area due to having to follow the government rules and social distancing, we are having to manage queues and prevent congregation outside & inside the salon doors. We have got a few chairs available outside which are spaced out to socially distance from each other and also from the front door for entering and exiting. We are super lucky and have a wooden canopy above our salon which means that you won't be drenched or scorched depending on what the good ole' weather man throws our way. When you arrive for your appointment, give us a little wave or a knock on the front door and one of the HQ quirk's will get you checked in and let you know how things are running for getting you swiftly inside.
WHAT IF I AM RUNNING LATE TO MY APPOINTMENT?
Due to our new way or working, we are having to keep an ultra smooth turnaround of appointments as we are only able to have one client in the building per stylist at any one time. This means that we cannot allow you in to see your stylist until their previous client has exited the building and then everthing has been fully sanitised ready for your welcoming. To help keep on top of this, if you arrive late to your appointment we will be forced to reschedule you as we have to work to so many new measures that we cannot afford to be as lenient as we sometimes can be. Don't make us be the bad guys!
Please bear with us as we are under a lot of pressure during this stage of House life. We will try our best to see you as soon as we possibly can but be aware that things are sometimes a little 'out of whack' at the moment.
WHY CAN'T I PAY WITH CASH?
Due to the current times we are having to take payments for services & products by card payment only. This is due to us only being a small business and do not have the space to quarantine cash for long periods of time. Not only this, we just wouldn't feel comfortable to carry volumes of cash on the property as you can imagine. Please be understanding of this when you visit us at the House, we apologise for any inconvenience this may cause you. The contactless option is for £45 and under, or you can use Apple Pay for larger amounts if you would like to opt for a contactless payment.
CAN I STILL PURCHASE PRODUCTS FROM YOU?
You sure can! If you have an appointment with us and you wish to take home some goodies or top up on your home care regime, you can let your Quirker know what you would like and we will get them bagged up for you and leave them at the collection point ready for you at departure to save you worrying about dodging humans along the way! If you do not have an appointment and would like a little pick me up, you can give us a call and we can do everything for you over the phone and we can get them ready for you to pick up at an allocated collection time.
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If you would like to have a chat with us about any of the above please give us an email or a call and we will happily talk things through with you - Ask for either Tom or Rae.
We hope this answers any niggling questions that you have had that needed answering and we look forward to seeing you all soon for some Hair, Music and of course, Mischief.
TEAM HQ
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