How many local barber shops do you have?

[matticus]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-68227005

Conservative Gareth Davies said the only businesses doing well on the high street were barbers, car washes, vape shops and other "potential money laundering fronts".
...
Take Prestatyn High Street - you've probably never been there in your life, but we had probably two barber shops 15 years ago, but there are probably about 15 now, all of a similar theme."

 

[BoldonLad]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-68227005

Conservative Gareth Davies said the only businesses doing well on the high street were barbers, car washes, vape shops and other "potential money laundering fronts".
...
Take Prestatyn High Street - you've probably never been there in your life, but we had probably two barber shops 15 years ago, but there are probably about 15 now, all of a similar theme."

I live in a former mining “village”, 20 years ago, from memory, there was 1 barber shop, now,there are three”Turkish” barbers. Haven’t used them, so, no idea how “authentic” they are.

Nearest car wash is a mile away.

One vape shop.

Numerous ladies hairdressers/beauty salons/tanning studios. Haven’t counted them, but 6 or 7 at least.

 

[AuroraSaab]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-68227005

Conservative Gareth Davies said the only businesses doing well on the high street were barbers, car washes, vape shops and other "potential money laundering fronts".
...
Take Prestatyn High Street - you've probably never been there in your life, but we had probably two barber shops 15 years ago, but there are probably about 15 now, all of a similar theme."

Loads of small barber shops round here. One man operations usually. Lots of betting shops, takeaways, charity shops too. Sun tan salons are your classic money laundering front, I'm told. I think the supermarkets have killed off butchers, greengrocers, and all but the chain bakeries, so there probably isn't much demand for 'real' shops in some areas, or rather there is but they can't compete with Tesco on price or range.

 

[Ian H]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-68227005

Conservative Gareth Davies said the only businesses doing well on the high street were barbers, car washes, vape shops and other "potential money laundering fronts".
...
Take Prestatyn High Street - you've probably never been there in your life, but we had probably two barber shops 15 years ago, but there are probably about 15 now, all of a similar theme."

I'm familiar with Larkin's verse.

Our trad ladies' hairdresser goes by the name of Simon - tall and elegantly mulleted, drives a Porsche with signature number-plate. E goes to Sam, who complains about all the new barbers in town, with muttered allegations of financial chicanery.
There are six or seven new ones. A couple are self-described Turkish, but they are otherwise indistinguishable. I go to young Mr Brown at the bottom of town. He only opens three days a week and has just one chair. He offers coffee and general competence in dealing with thinning hair.

On a related note, I think I have heard more utter bollocks from hairdressers than anyone else. One said that she used to wear open sandals when cutting hair, but she'd developed hairy toes because some of the falling hair took root there. Another told me that baldness is caused by testosterone pooling around the hair roots and killing them.

 

[matticus]

One said that she used to wear open sandals when cutting hair, but she'd developed hairy toes because some of the falling hair took root there.

That's brilliant.

Are you sure it wasn't an episode of League of Gentlemen?
T'other strong possibility is that they have competitions to tell customers the most outrageous tall tales.

Either way, I'm seriously considering moving to Devon now ...

 

[Bromptonaut]

There was one in Northampton who insisted on telling me the Moon landings were faked in Hollywood.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Either way, I'm seriously considering moving to Devon now ...

 

[AuroraSaab]

I always thought the big advantage of going to the barber not a ladies hairdressers would be not having to have the inane chat about if you were busy at work or where you were going on your holidays, but sounds like all hair cutters are the same.

 

[multitool]

T'other strong possibility is that they have competitions to tell customers the most outrageous tall tales.

It's definitely this. No hair-dresser would be ignorant of the need for a follicle in order for hair to grow in skin.

However, in rare cases hair clippings cause Trichogranuloma

 

[Fab Foodie]

I always thought the big advantage of going to the barber not a ladies hairdressers would be not having to have the inane chat about if you were busy at work or where you were going on your holidays, but sounds like all hair cutters are the same.

Mine's not...she already knows where I'm taking her on holiday...and apparently I don't need anything for the weekend!


On my way back from the tip I counted 3 'Turkish' Barbers in our small high street serving ~22,000 peoples (2022 data). One more and we'd have a quartet.....

 

[bobzmyunkle]

There was one in Northampton who insisted on telling me the Moon landings were faked in Hollywood.

Plenty of evidence on t'interweb to prove that's the case.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

QUite a few around here - your basic traditional barber

but if you go to the High STreet there are more Turkish ones - and they are often pretty much empty - especially in the less reputable parts of the street
They are often inhabited by several Turkish(?) men who seem to have no interest in a hair cut
The posher ones seem to be quite busy and more legitimate

If you want money laundering I would look for Tattoo places - loads of them around and hardly see anyone going in or out
and as the windows are not clear glass then you can't do a check by just walking past!

Vape shop are quite common on the High Street - the well know names are quite popular - but not all of them
Same goes for "shops" selling mobile phone accessories - just how many phone covers do people need????

 

[matticus]

I always thought the big advantage of going to the barber not a ladies hairdressers would be not having to have the inane chat about if you were busy at work or where you were going on your holidays, but sounds like all hair cutters are the same.

Yes, but as we are only in their for a tenth of the time you Gals are, it's far more bearable

 

[bobzmyunkle]

it's far more bearable

Perhaps less so for the hairdresser. Although I'm sure my latest cycling adventure is of much more interest to them than most people's holiday plans.

 

[Mr Celine]

I always thought the big advantage of going to the barber not a ladies hairdressers would be not having to have the inane chat about if you were busy at work or where you were going on your holidays, but sounds like all hair cutters are the same.

I cut my own hair (what little there is of it) and have to put up with my own inane chat.