Like many business owners, fourth generation barber Sam Donnelly is delighted to have reopened after lockdown - but he never expected staffing to be a problem.
Today, the number of people receiving the Pandemic Unemployment Payment fell to 363,000 - a far cry from the peak of 602,000 a year ago.
This week's fall of almost 13,500 reflects the lifting of public health restrictions - with the biggest weekly drop in claims emerging in the sector that includes hairdressing and beauty salons.
Still, with a further 178,000 people recorded on the Live Register at the end of April, Sam thought recruitment would be easy - but Covid-19 has taken its toll.