Quinn Blakey 'Magna Carta' hair salon is back open legally after racking up £17,000 in fines over lockdown

The hair salon is amongst those across the country who are now allowed to open regardless of Tier level.

But Sinead Quinn, owner of the salon, stayed open over lockdown when non-essential businesses were legally required to close.

She racked up a total of £17,000 in fines over the lockdown period, having been issued 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.

--> Council withdraws extra £10,000 fine after finding no customers at the salonOn November 28, Kirklees Council issued a closure notice to the premises and applied for a court order to shut the salon.

The Oakenshaw salon owner was ordered by magistrates on November 30 to close the salon until just after midnight on December 2 when tiering restrictions came in.

Magistrates said Sinead Quinn caused “distress to the public” by repeatedly opening to customers during the current lockdown.

Ms Quinn did not appear at Bradford Magistrates’ Court for the hearing on Monday but the closure application went ahead in her absence “to prevent nuisance to members of the public and to safeguard public health”.

The hairdresser created a GoFundMe page to raise money for her £5,000 legal fees.

A spokesperson for Kirklees Council said: "Now national lockdown now ended, Quinn Blakey can reopen. In all tiers, non-essential shops, gyms, hairdressers and personal care services can open from today.

"We’re pleased these local business can trade again after a tough period, and we urge people to shop local this Christmas but to please adhere to social distancing and all other guidance in place to keep people safe."

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.

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