Council withdraws extra £10,000 Quinn Blakey fine after police say no customers seen inside

The total of the fines issued to the owner of the salon for opening during lockdown now remains at £17,000.

The owner was issued with a £1,000 fine on November 9, a £2,000 fine on November 12, a £4,000 fine on November 21, and a £10,000 fine on November 23.

Originally, the council also issued a £10,000 fine on November 24 as well but withdrew this after speaking with West Yorkshire Police again and realising that no customers were seen on the premises.

Quinn Blakey Hairdressing, in Bradford, has been defying the rule that non-essential businesses, including hair salons, must close during the second national lockdown.

The Quinn Blakey owner tried to use the Magna Carta as a reason for staying open.

The letter on the door referring to the 1215 document said: “Under Article 61 of Magna Carta 1215 we have a right to enter into lawful dissent if we feel we are being governed unjustly.

“Contrary to common belief, our sovereign and her government are only there to govern us and not rule us.

“This must be done within the constraint of our common law and the freedoms asserted to us by such law. Nothing can become law in this country if it falls outside of this simple constraint.

“I am not under any obligation, nor will I, answer any questions or give you any details. I am a living persons and statutory regulations only apply with my consent.”

The letter continued to demand proof for eight different clauses before Quinn Blakey Hairdressing salon said they would agree to close.

A post on the Quinn Blakey Hairdressing Instagram account on November 5 reads: “Lockdown Day 1. I earned this week’s rent today, not sure where I would be pulling that money from given the Government want self-employed business people to wait six weeks for a payment.

“I still have mortgage, bills, childcare fees, food, car, insurance etc, not to mention the overheads for the shop.

“If we give up now, I can categorically guarantee your small businesses will not survive this lockdown – given it’s not going to be four weeks.

“Like I said before, this is more than just having a business and an income, this is my children’s future and that’s more important to me than anything.”

A number of videos posted on the page show the owner of the salon speaking to council and police officers through the locked door of the shop.

She is heard telling them she does “not consent” to being fined and that she is “standing under common law”.

One council officer tells the woman the authority could get a warrant to close down the salon if she continued to operate during lockdown restrictions.

On Tuesday, the owner posted a photograph and footage of a police car parked near her shop, with the comment “police stalking me now”.

A Kirklees Council spokesperson said: “We informed you that on Tuesday Kirklees Council had issued an additional £10,000 fine to Quinn Blakely Hairdressers in Oakenshaw, taking the total fines issued to £27,000.

“After speaking again with West Yorkshire Police, they have confirmed that they did not see customers present during their visit to the premises on 24 November so we will no longer be issuing the additional £10,000, meaning the total remains at £17,000.”