A PLEA from a beauty salon owner to be given “time to recover” from the Covid pandemic before facing a new rival failed to win over licensing bosses.

Ken Wong, who along with his partner runs Diamond Nails & Me at 179a North High Street, Musselburgh, urged East Lothian Councils’s licensing sub-committee to refuse to grant a licence to newcomer Chloe Nails.

He highlighted that there were already nine salons offering nail services within a half mile radius of each other in the area.

And he argued that existing salons should be given the chance to recover from the last lockdown before any new competition came in.

However, an agent for the owner of Chloe Nails, Oahn Nguyen, who applied for a public entertainments licence needed to operate from 88 North High Street, said competition was not a reason to deny the new business a chance to open.

Speaking to the virtual meeting, Oahn Le said: “The area also has five pubs, five barbers and seven Chinese takeaways.

“Competition should not stop us getting a licence.

“If there is no competition the hight street will die; offering choice allows local residents to stay in the local area instead of moving on to another area.”

The committee received a letter signed by three local salons objecting to the new salon licence.

Mr Wong said that Diamonds & Me had opened last September and operated until Christmas before having to go through the second lockdown.

He said: “Diamonds & Me opened just before the lockdown and this has had a big impact on us.

“If it was not for Covid, I would not object to the competition but we need time to recover.”

The committee was told there were no objections to the new salon from Police Scotland.

Councillor John McMillan, who is council spokesperson for economic development, said: “There is a good weight of evidence on both sides.

“But I think the changes we are seeing around people working from home and supporting local and wanting to be here, on that basis, I am minded to grant (the licence).”

Councillor Colin McGinn, chairing the committee, expressed his sympathy with Mr Wong telling him: “We hope all businesses manage to manage a business model through the pandemic and when we come out of it manage to grow their business.”

The committee unanimously agreed to grant the licence to Chloe’s Nails.