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Business
The Leeds hairdressers where you can request a no small talk ‘silent treatment’
A Leeds hairdresser is offering a silent treatment that allows you to practice self-care however you see fit: with a podcast, a book or simply by sitting in silence.
Sit back, relax and grab a cuppa whilst you're at it- you can talk as little as you want during this hair appointment.
Sometimes, you just don't feel like making small talk.
Whether it's been a long day, week, month; you're introverted, anxious talking to new faces, or you're simply exhausted of having conversations with people that you know you won't see again- sometimes all we want to do is sit in silence, and that's okay.
Honouring this wish for a little peace, a hairdressers in Roundhay is now offering a treatment that allows you to cut out the small talk and get on with anything else just desire, even if that just means sitting in silence and enjoying the experience.
Bring a book, pop your headphones in and listen to your favourite podcast or just take some time to reflect, clear your head and be left to your thoughts and you have your hair carefully washed, treated, dyed or cut.
There's nothing wrong with having some self-care time, and for some of us, that certainly includes this 'silent treatment'.
SL Hair is the first place we've heard of in Leeds to offer this as a no fuss treatment, where you don't need to awkwardly ask to be left alone, nor will you be questioned or judged for not wanting to have a chat- all you need to do is request the 'silent treatment' upon booking.
Image: S L Hair
Owner Sam opened SL Hair on Lidgett Lane in Roundhay back in September 2021 and the hairdressers offers a whole host of treatments for all ages, genders and hair styles- available to those that want to chat and those that want the 'silent treatment' respectively.
Expect everything from a children's cut to barber-style chops to balayage, hair extensions and styling- and all treatments come at a reasonable price.
For more information, visit SL Hair on Facebook or visit the salon on Lidgett Lane in Roundhay to book your appointment and give the silent treatment a trial.
Feature Image- Unsplash
Business
New rules restricting the use of bikes and street trading are set to be introduced in Leeds city centre
New regulations are set to be put into place as part of the Briggate Action Plan.
Proposals for the plan, aimed at making some of the city centre’s busiest areas safer for everyone, received a huge amount of support during a public consultation last year.
Since then, the council have been drawing up the necessary regulations and signage, with the new rules now due to officially come into place over the next few months.
Once implemented, the action plan will mean a requirement to walk bicycles and e-bikes within the city centre’s pedestrianised shopping area from 10.30am until 8pm every day.
That means no surprise bicycles will try and run you over as you're doing your shopping, hooray!
The action plan will also introduce prohibitions around certain street trading activities in targeted areas, including mobile street traders.
Extended restrictions will be put into place during major city centre events including Leeds Pride, Light Night Leeds and the Leeds Christmas Market.
Anyone breaking the new rules could be given a £100 Fixed Penalty Notice.
A spokesperson for Leeds City Council, said: “The city centre welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, and our aim is for every one of them to have the best and safest possible experience of Leeds.
“Through this action plan, we’ve taken important and meaningful steps to address issues which the public have consistently told us were impacting their enjoyment of the city centre whilst also creating potential safety issues for shoppers and pedestrians.
“With these new regulations in place, our hope is that both day-to-day visits and major events will now be even more enjoyable, successful and welcoming.”
The new restrictions on pedlars are expected to be in place from Thursday 1 October, with restrictions on bikes in pedestrianised areas due to be in place by the end of the year.
Everything you need to know about the Government’s new digital ID alternative for alcohol sales
Emily Sergeant
Licensed venues across England and Wales now have the choice to be able introduce digital proof of age for alcohol sales alongside physical.
Instead of having to hand over physical ID that contains personal information, such as names and home addresses, customers now have the choice to simply provide confirmation that they are 18 or over on their phone - helping to better protect privacy and personal safety in the process.
This means that, no matter whether you're buying a drink at your favourite pub, heading to a festival, or enjoying a night out at a concert, you won’t need to worry if you've left your ID at home.
According to the Government, this new change will benefit businesses greatly too, as certified digital services are able to check that an ID is genuine and belongs to the person presenting it much easier than the alternative can, which therefore helps to reduce the risk of any fake or borrowed IDs going undetected.
Well, according to the Government, it could be as simple as a customer showing a QR code for staff to scan, or tapping their phone against a compatible reader, where staff will then receive a clear confirmation on their device that the customer has passed the age check.
This change follows a 2024 Government consultation where it was reported that 72% of respondents supported the use of digital identities for age verification when buying alcohol.
Digital Government Minister Stephanie Peacock reiterated that 'it will remain an individual or business’ choice whether to use or adopt [digital ID]' and that physical ID will 'still remain a valid way' for customers to prove their age.
"This groundbreaking change in the law will mean you do not need to carry a physical ID, nor hand over sensitive personal information such as your name or address just to prove your age, allowing everyone to feel safer on a night out," she concluded.
Sophie Smith -
22nd February 2022 
