A MIDDLEWICH barber has been stunned by the demand for hair cuts after Boris gave salons permission to reopen on July 4.

Cloak & Dagger Barber Co was overwhelmed with clients as soon as bookings opened.

Every appointment for two weeks was snapped up in a few hours!

Owner Mark Kirk said: "It went crazy. In 20 minutes, our site went slow as everyone was rushing on to try and get booked. It's going to be hard work but we are very grateful for it."

The 35-year-old has completely revamped his shop, formerly Dads and Lads, in Wheelock Street.

He renamed the business six years ago after taking over from his step mum Susan, who taught him his trade.

Mark, who has worked in the shop for 15 years, introduced an appointment system has 1,200 registered clients

New social distancing and hygiene measures will be in place when customers turn up.

Only two people will be allowed in the shop at any time and clients must wear face masks, arrive with freshly washed hair and use the provided hand sanitiser.

Hygiene regulations mean no beard trims can be carried out.

"We will be making sure we adhere to all the personal protective equipment regulations, said Mark, who employs another barber Luke Billington, 23. "I am a little bit nervous. It is a bit daunting as we are on the frontline. It is a high contact and frequent contact business but I feel more confident now the new guidelines have been issued."

Extra time must be set aside to clean down every work station between appointments.

Northwich Guardian:

New social distancing and hygiene regulations will be in place when Cloak & Dagger Barber Co reopens in Middlewich

Mark has decided not to use disposable gowns for clients.

"I'm a little bit environmentally friendly, " he said."We could be doing up to 40 cuts a day between me and Luke, That's 200 gowns just getting thrown away a week so we bought tons of gowns and at the end of every day we will boil wash them."

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Closing down for three months left him missing all the banter he enjoys sharing with customers.

"I can't wait to get back," said Mark. "As barbers we are constantly socialising and interacting with friends and new people. To be locked down was a big shock. I don't go on holiday and don't take much time off so my life is that shop.

"It is a community, from kids that you have have a laugh with to old fellas telling stories. We have such a varied amount of people coming through."

Mark expects to be faced with some remedial work to repair DIY disasters.

"We've had a lot of texts and photographs from guys who had a go themselves or let their girlfriends cut their hair ," he said. "We're going to have our hands full.

"But I've not cut hair for so long I might be a bit rusty so me and Luke are going to do each other's before we open to polish up our skills so that we will be ready for everyone."