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Two more businesses have been found breaching coronavirus regulations in Bridgend county borough, including a company directed by a local councillor.

Council workers gave a hair salon and car wash in Maesteg improvement notices for failing to comply with Welsh Government guidelines on Saturday, April 3.

Officers from the Shared Regulatory Service (SRS) said they caught staff working without a visor at Capelli Salons, Commercial Street, Maesteg. Documents on the SRS website state adherence to measures was “otherwise very good”.

Hand Car Wash, in Llwydarth Road, Maesteg, was found to be operating a valet service and mask wearing was “poor”, according to the SRS website.

Both businesses were given 48 hours to comply with the Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (Wales) Regulations 2020.

Stuart Baldwin, a Labour councillor for Bridgend County Borough Council is the director of Capelli Salons, according to his Twitter profile.

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Craig Williams, Cllr Baldwin’s business partner and manager of Capelli Salons, said: “To say we were disappointed with this outcome is an understatement. After re-opening the salon back in July, 2020, we have at all times strictly followed the guidelines set down by the Welsh Government.”

Mr Williams insisted no clients or staff at the salon had contracted coronavirus and the business had attracted new clients due to its strict adherence to regulations. He said council officers had visited the salon three times since it re-opened on March 15.

“The first two visits resulted in the officers being completely satisfied that everything was being adhered to – in fact the term “brilliant” was mentioned to our staff.”

Mr Williams said the business was given an improvement notice after a stylist was seen checking a client’s colour while wearing a mask but not a visor.

A document published on the SRS website states staff were “cutting hair with no visors”. However, Mr Williams said just one member of staff did not have a visor on and she was not cutting hair.

“She had in fact just two minutes previously removed the visor in the employee only area to wipe her face and simply forgot to put it back on,” he added.

“This was explained to the officer as well as the fact that she wasn’t actually undertaking a service on the client just merely observing the colour status. The officer wouldn’t accept or maybe didn’t understand this explanation. Obviously we are aware that rules and regulations have to be put in place and adhered to but we are adamant that we have done so throughout at costly expense to the business.

“Like many other businesses suffering the effects of multiple lockdowns over the past year or so, we would not jeopardise being open or risk being fined in any way shape or form. To be served this notice is, we think, both extremely harsh and not deserved in the slightest.”

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Under current regulations, barbers and hair salons and must operate on an appointment basis only and staff are required to wear a Type II mask and a clear visor. The Welsh Government guidelines state these businesses are “amongst the highest of risk settings” if they do not comply with coronavirus regulations.

The SRS, a partnership between South Wales Police and Bridgend, Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan councils, carries out checks on licensed premises to ensure they comply with government guidelines. Businesses are usually given 48 hours to comply with the rules. Failure to comply can result in closure, a fixed penalty notice, or being taken to court.

To date, 96 premises in Bridgend county borough have been caught breaching coronavirus regulations and given improvement notices, according to the SRS website. Seven local businesses have been temporarily closed. The service has issued 82 improvement notices to businesses in Cardiff and 68 to businesses in the Vale of Glamorgan.

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