• NIGEL Armistead includes beauty salons within a list of goods and services which he believes the world could do with­out, (Crisis might make us think on the madness of the way our society behaves, September 29).

While I share his views that HS2 and similar vanity projects are unnecessary, I cannot agree that salons are surplus to require­ments. The beauty industry contributes over £28billion to Britain’s annual GDP and employs approximately 370,000 people.

Apprenticeships were and are an ideal option for those who, like me, are unsuited for, or do not choose to, pursue higher education. Rather than parents and teachers effectively forcing young people to go to university to study useless courses and leave indebted by over £30,000, learning a trade such as beauty is far more useful and contributory to society.

While a “lashes, brows and makeover” may not be to Mr Armistead’s personal taste, many people would agree with me that a beauty treatment during these difficult times cannot fail to lift the spirits.

KEELEY-JASMINE CAVENDISH
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