Skin Kerr Aesthetics Hair and Beauty put a poster in its window saying it was a ‘Covid Free Salon’, promising a no masks policy and stating “You Can’t Catch What Doesn’t Exist’. Tony McDonough reports

Police and council environmental officers are to visit a beauty salon in Bootle that put a poster in its window saying coronavirus did not exist.

Skin Kerr Aesthetics Hair and Beauty put a poster in its window saying it was a ‘Covid Free Salon’, promising a no masks policy and stating “You Can’t Catch What Doesn’t Exist’. At the bottom were the hashtags #voodoovirusisbullshit and #wedonotconsent.

The business, in Aintree Road in Bootle, also shared the poster on its Facebook page which has now been delated. Salons have been allowed to open since July but staff are required to wear face masks when treating clients.

When contacted by the Liverpool Echo a women who said she was the manager said she “did not wish to discuss” the poster. LBN has also attempted to contact the business.

Now Skin Kerr is to receive a visit by officers from Merseyside Police on Tuesday with officers from the council’s environmental health team following up on Wednesday morning. The council said it is considering enforcement action.

Despite the claims on the poster that COVID-19 does not exist, more than 1,000 people have already died of the virus in Merseyside since the height of the epidemic in March. In recent days there has been a significant rise in the number of local coronavirus cases.

Cllr Paulette Lappin Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Regulatory, Compliance and Corporate Services said: “Once our Environmental Health team was made aware of this disappointing situation, we contacted the owner of the company and have arranged a visit. We will be meeting with the owner on Wednesday morning.

“If the situation cannot be resolved satisfactorily during this meeting, and we are not satisfied that measures to keep customers and staff safe are in place, we will consider taking formal enforcement action.”

Sefton Council is reminding local businesses and their customers of the importance of following the Government’s COVID-19 guidance, which includes the distancing, cleaning and face-covering measures required to help keep clients and staff safe.

For customers, this means following any of the measures in place for their protection and making sure they provide any test and trace information requested on arrival.