A SALON owner who brazenly flouted lockdown rules last year, quoting the Magna Carta in her defence, has indicated she is planning to re-open her business this month despite the country still being under tight restrictions.

Quinn Blakey Hairdressing in Oakenshaw, owned by Sinead Quinn, has been at the centre of a long-running saga after it was found to be open during the second national lockdown in November last year, racking up £17,000 worth of Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN).

Eventually, magistrates ordered the closure of the salon for the final two days of the lockdown, which ended on December 2, “to prevent nuisance to members of the public and to safeguard public health”.

Earlier this month, Kirklees Council confirmed none of the FPNs issued had been paid and that it had started a prosecution process.

A number of posts have now emerged on the salon’s Instagram page, indicating it will be back open for business from January 30, on a day dubbed ‘The Great Reopening’.

A comment from the salon in response to someone asking about what it meant said: “Yeah we’re all opening regardless of lockdown. They can’t control us all when we stand up to them.”

A poll was also posted on the stories feature of the salon’s account, asking people if they were going to re-open on January 30.

A response to one person who said they were scared of being boycotted said: “But you would attract so many like minded individuals. I’ve lost so many clients from speaking up, not wearing a mask, opening in lockdowns. But I’ve also gained so many who agree and can’t carry on with this.”

When one person raised concern they would be fined, Ms Quinn replied: “Honestly, I’ve not heard anything about the ‘fines’. I even corresponded with the Council and they sent a letter back reminding me of the legislation. No mention of the fines and no further correspondence. How can you pay if you don’t have a business at the end of this?”

She said small businesses were being “crippled” while big corporations are still surviving and told one person: “You can do it. They can’t stop us all can they?”

Ms Quinn has previously cited the Magna Carta and common law in defence of staying open.

Practicing barrister and best-selling writer The Secret Barrister debunked such a defence last year, labelling them “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.”

West Yorkshire Police said it could not comment or respond to something which has not yet happened and it would fall to the local authority to take proactive action if it was deemed necessary.

The Telegraph & Argus contact Ms Quinn for a comment, but did not receive a response.