Coronavirus crisis threatens Tamworth business, battling to keep doors open during COVID-19 ban

She's at just one of the many Tamworth businesses struggling with a tough economic climate, social distancing laws - and changing coronavirus messaging.

The Tamworth hairdresser worked until 11pm last night doing one last hair colour for her loyal customers, ahead of a midnight COVID-19 ban set to ban hair colouring.

She called in off-duty staff; everyone all did big hours of over-time.

"It was all systems go," she said.

"And then of course we wake up exhausted this morning to the news that he (PM Scott Morrison) has dropped the ban.

"So we didn't know whether to laugh or cry at 7.30 this morning because obviously we worked really, really hard.

"I see it as almost torture what he's done to our industry.

"At the end of the day a lot of salons have decided to close because it's not a viable business if it's just for haircuts."

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Illegal Lengths is just one of many businesses battling to keep their doors open despite the restrictions on operations announced over the last week by Prime Minister Morrison.

While some businesses have been forced to shut up shop, others have changed how they work to follow strict social distancing rules.

Tamworth Business Chamber Executive Officer Sam Rains said he is proud of how local employers have adapted to tough new economic and social reality.

"We've got such a resilient business community here - it's unbelievable.

"We're still not out of that horrendous four year drought that's still ongoing.

"And you walk down the shops at the moment and you'll see the shop owners still have a grin on their face, they still make a joke and have a laugh with you.

"While behind those smiling eyes they're doing it extremely tough at the moment. They're trying to put forward their best foot, they're trying to stay open and they're trying to maintain as much of their staff as possible."

The Business Chamber will tomorrow sit down with Mayor Col Murray and other local leaders to investigate other ways to support local businesses doing it tough, he said.

Meanwhile, the Business Chamber has started its own crisis buy local campaign, #shareyoursupport.

Illegal Lengths is one business that will keep going and employing staff until told to close, according to Babette Hardman.

But the job has changed to adapt to halt the spread of coronavirus.

"Health and safety (is) definitely first and foremost, that goes before anything else. We're very lucky that we have space in our premises (to maintain social distancing)," she said.

An ordinarily spotless industry has become outright obsessive compulsive about cleanliness, banned magazines, and implemented a number of other social distancing rules, she said.

But the Commonwealth's 30 minute cap on work never made any sense even from a health perspective, she said.

In an average day cutting hair, you might be exposed to 16 people. Doing colours, which take much longer, you're exposed to just five.

"What were they thinking? It wouldn't matter if you're in my chair for three seconds or three hours," she said.

"We can't stand back one metre. We can't do that with our clients. Would we prefer to be exposed to 16 people or five people?"