Quinn Blakey hairdresser indicates illegal plans dubbed 'The Great Re-opening' after racking up £17,000 in fines last lockdown

Sinead Quinn, owner of Quinn Blakey Hairdressing, in Oakenshaw, suggested the salon will reopen for on January 30 on a day dubbed "The Great Reopening".

Quinn flouted the rules in November, quoting the Magna Carta as a defence to not comply with the government's measures to halt the spread of coronavirus.

The long-running saga saw her rack up £17,000 worth of Fixed Penalty Notices, which Kirkless Council said had not yet been paid.

Magistrates eventually ordered the closure of the salon in the last lockdown "to prevent nuisance to members of the public and to safeguard public health".

In a series of posts on Instagram, she told followers she plans to re-open the business despite non-essential businesses being ordered to close under lockdown rules.

A comment from the salon on Instagram said: "We're all opening regardless of lockdown. They can't control us all when we stand up to them."

In a separate post, she wrote the caption: "When is lockdown meant to end? Feb?

"In February you can bet your life savings that Covid-21 will be here and so will your lockdown.

"I'd like you to sit back and watch it all play out but we're running out of time.

"Stand up for your freedoms. 30th January. Get up and open your businesses, go out and support those businesses. We are the power, not them."

In a story on her page, Quinn said: "If masks work, why are cases increasing? Why are we in lockdown? Why are you still wearing your mask?"

Quinn has shared a number of videos to the business's Instagram page questioning lockdown and other covid measures.

She previously pinned a notice to the door of her shop citing the Magna Carta declaring that she did not consent to the lockdown.

Practicing barrister and best-selling writer The Secret Barrister debunked such a defence last year, labelling it "pure nonsense" and "pseudo-legal rubbish".

A Kirklees Council spokesperson said: "With the time given to pay the fines now passed, we have started a prosecution process and are currently putting our case together.

"This process can take some time and could potentially lead to a trial. Punishment could be an unlimited fine, decided by the court.

"In the meantime, if further breaches of lockdown rules occur, we will need to take the same appropriate action which will be the case for any business."