A GIFFNOCK barber has opened on Christmas Day to allow his loyal customers time to get a fresh trim ahead of level four lockdown restrictions, which will come into effect from tomorrow. 

Every council area in Scotland will be placed on the highest level of the restrictions system - meaning all non-essential businesses, including hairdressers and barbers, will close for three weeks. 

But despite it being Christmas, it's business as usual for Tony Mann at Tony Mann's Barber Shop who has a busy day ahead of him with bookings completely full.

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He said: "I want to ensure all my loyal customers look sharp for the next three weeks. They have been good to us since we reopened earlier this year, so it's one way for me to give back.

"Today is really the last day that they can get a haircut. We've got a lot of people coming in - those who celebrate Christmas and those who don't. It's humbling to see them before we shut."

In July, we told how Tony opened his salon for a full 24 hours on his first day back in business after the first coronavirus lockdown. 

He welcomed his first customer at one minute past midnight and when he closed his shop at the same time the following day, he and his colleague Margaret had given 87 haircuts.

He added: "You feel good when you get your hair cut so if I can give that confidence boost to my clients going into the New Year then it's the least I can do."

Glasgow Times:

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Since March, Tony has reopened and closed his shop three times due to changing lockdown restrictions. 

He said: "I feel really gutted about closing for the next three weeks. My heart is in its stomach. I just don't know how many times we can do this.

"From a business point of view, it's disheartening but I suppose it's just the times that we are in. It makes me think, what chance do we have of surviving if we're never open?"

He added: "I'm lucky to have my loyal customers, though."

The restrictions, expected to be in place for three weeks, have been put in place to prevent the spread of a new Covid-19 strain. 

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon earlier said: "We cannot risk any more of this strain entering Scotland if we can avoid it".