28 nail salons ordered to close in Galerie du Centre

A total of 28 nail salons have been ordered to close again in Brussels' Galerie du Centre following complaints about odour nuisance and respiratory irritation.

The concentration of nail salons in the city-centre arcade has led to increasing nuisance in recent years due to the use of solvents and other chemical products.

In spring 2023, visitors complained of eye and respiratory irritation, following which the shopping centre was temporarily closed entirely.

The reopening of the salons was subject to various conditions, such as an approved electrical inspection, automatic doors, a professional exhaust ventilation system, a waste disposal contract and restrictions on the storage of flammable substances.

All nail salons were also required to install an individual extraction system connected to a communal ventilation system with an outlet through the roof.

The salons were given a maximum of two years to comply with these strict conditions, but recent inspections reveal that no work has yet been carried out.

“The city has given the operators and co-owners concerned the time and scope to develop a structural solution and that solution is still not in place today,” said Rens Gijsen, spokesperson for public spaces alderwoman Anaïs Maes (Vooruit), explaining why the temporary exemption could no longer be justified.

“The health and safety of visitors and employees remain our absolute priority.”

This time the ban remains in force until the owners or property manager install a ventilation system in accordance with the licence.