Salon Owner Served over £3k Fines Refuses to Close Salon

Sinead Quinn, owner of Quinn Blakey hairdressing salon, Oakenshaw, near Bradford, who is defying government lockdown restrictions and refusing to close down her business

Salon Owner, Sinead Quinn has faced over £3,000 fines for keeping her salon Quinn Blakey Hairdressing in West Yorkshire open. She has had numerous visits from the council and police asking her to close, threatening double fines every day that she stays open.

Ms Quinn recorded a video of herself telling a visiting Kirklees Council officer that she "doesn't consent" to being fined for defying lockdown regulations, and any fines will be returned to sender. Ms Quinn argues that there is no law banning her from opening her salon as the coronavirus measures introduced during the global pandemic are regulations not laws, and as such, statutory law cannot supersede common law.

Legally, this is not correct. When a judge hears and decides individual cases they apply and interoperate both UK statute and common law. However when Common law varies with UK statute, the Statute law will overrule. This is because the UK Parliament has parliamentary sovereignty.

The hairdresser also has a sign on her door which references Article 61 of Magna Carta 1215 which states it has a “right to enter into lawful dissent if we feel we are being governed unjustly.”

A post on the salon’s Facebook page on November 9 explained that the salon was staying open to ensure the salon’s rent was paid along with the owner’s personal mortgage, bills, childcare fees, food, car and insurance.

The now deleted post read: “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 a 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. Thank you to the clients who are supporting me in this difficult time!”

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.

Upon reaching out for a comment, Ms Quinn has confirmed that she does not accept any fines and plans on reopening her salon again.