Yesterday, local MP Julia Lopez brought the voice of Havering’s hair and beauty industry to the heart of Westminster, leading a passionate debate in Parliament and urging the Government to take swift action to protect high street salons across her constituency from collapse.
The debate follows a high-profile visit to Hornchurch from Shadow Chancellor, Mel Stride MP, who joined Julia on a tour of three of Havering’s flagship salons — The Vanilla Room, Wyndham Hair, and Utopia Beauty & Advance Skincare. Together, they heard firsthand the mounting pressure these businesses are under.
Last month, Julia met directly with salon owners who described the current challenges as nothing short of existential. They painted a stark picture: business rates that have doubled overnight, Employer National Insurance contributions up by a third per employee, apprenticeship hires down 75%, and supplier costs skyrocketing.
During their visit, all three salons warned the Shadow Chancellor that without urgent support, independent businesses like theirs — the lifeblood of the high street — may soon vanish.
In Parliament, Julia laid out the consequences of inaction: the widespread closure of legitimate businesses to be replaced by front businesses that do not play by the rules, a ripple effect across the high street, the disintegration of apprenticeship pathways, and ultimately, reduced tax revenues for the Treasury.
She called on the Government to urgently consider four key measures:
- Reforming VAT to reflect the unique structure of hair and beauty businesses;
- Restoring business rate relief to pre-April 2025 levels;
- Reviving apprenticeship schemes to open up career paths for young people;
- Reassessing measures introduced in the October budget that have deepened the crisis.
This debate was not just about numbers — it was about livelihoods, local pride, and the character of the community.
Commenting after the debate, Julia said:
“I sincerely hope the Government will hear the debate we’ve had and listen to the concerns which salon owners and hairdressers have raised with me over the last few weeks. These businesses are facing crisis and are being punished for doing the right thing. Complacency has set in here in Whitehall, with the Government thinking that they’re always here to tap up. That needs to change.”
Johnpaul Wyndham, Owner of Wyndham Hair commented:
"Like many salons across the UK, we’re feeling the strain of rising employment costs and the reduction in business rates relief. These pressures are forcing small, service-led businesses like ours to make incredibly tough choices, sometimes at the expense of valuable apprenticeship opportunities that train the next generation of stylists.
“The hairdressing industry plays a vital role on every High Street, not just economically, but as a cornerstone of community life. To safeguard our future, we urgently need targeted government support. This includes measures to halt further cost increases and serious consideration of VAT reform for salon-employed sectors like ours.
“We were proud to welcome Julia and the Shadow Chancellor, Mel Stride, to our salon to talk through these challenges. It was a valuable opportunity to share our concerns about the future of British hairdressing and to highlight the crucial role our industry plays in communities like ours."
Stefania Rossi, Director of Utopia Beauty and Advance Skincare, added:
"I am really grateful to Julia for securing a Parliamentary debate on the impact of Government policy on the hair and beauty sector as it has been through a lot in recent months. Reductions to business rates relief has meant that salons like mine have had their rates more than double overnight. This is not the only cost that is going up, utility bills have trebled, supplier costs have gone up by 5% or more while national insurance contributions have increased by a third per employee. Businesses simply cannot sustain these costs and grow. I am glad that these challenges will be discussed in Parliament and that the Shadow Chancellor took the time to hear from local salon owners directly."
Business Co-ordinator at The Vanilla Room, Hayley Clayden, said:
"We'd like to thank Julia and the Shadow Chancellor for taking the time to come back to the Vanilla Room and speak with us again about the enormous pressure our industry is under. Without urgent help and intervention from the Government, salons and hairdressers will start to disappear from the high street, along with the many apprenticeships that they provide. The Shadow Chancellor's visit has been a really useful opportunity to get our message out there and highlight the different problems we're having, especially in relation to NIC increases, issues around VAT and increasing business rates. Hopefully Julia's Westminster Hall debate this week will raise the profile of these issues further and encourage the Government into taking action."
Following his visit, Mel Stride MP, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, said:
“What I heard in Hornchurch is deeply troubling. These businesses aren’t asking for handouts - they are simply asking for fairness. Labour’s anti-business Budget has made it harder for employers across the country to create and sustain jobs. The rise in Employer National Insurance and the cut to business rates relief is crushing small enterprises at the heart of our communities.
“If you want to back working people, you have to start by backing the people who give them jobs. Labour’s anti-business policies are driving hardworking business owners to the brink.”
He added:
“Labour’s Chancellor may be celebrating breaking glass ceilings – but in doing so, she’s shattering the businesses that empower women across the country.”
