Barbers, hairdressers et alia

[Pastis]

Prompted by MissC's recent escapade in the coiffure department I was wondering what the prevailing preferences were 

I've had the same woman cut my hair for over ten years and find it a pleasant experience; not only does she do it well but she's a source of the most intriguing local news and information, not tittle tattle but genuine goings on in the vicinity. I went to her originally because she's literally around the corner and the convenience was irresistible; she turned out to be good as well.

Remembering haircuts as a child, being nicked by the over zealous use of the clippers, the smell of Bay Rum and Brylcreem... I don't think I'd ever willingly go back 

What think we?

[Miss Demeanour]

I love a good head massage 

I chop and change ( geddit  ) hairdressers though , even if you do find a good salon the staff turnover dictates that it will not be the same when you return.

[Miss Creant Commander of the picklement and baking BAb(Hons)]

Sounds like you have found a goodun Pastis best stick with her.  Any chap spending half an hour or so, or however long it takes for the more folically challenged, with his head nestled between a pair of breasts whilst being shorn should surely be happy.

I had a disasterous experiance in my teens and have had a sort of phobia since.  Having moved around rather a lot even when I found a good one, and there have been two that spring to mind I have had to move on and start the horiffic process all over again.

[Nick]

Where does BM go?

Oh 

Sorry

[Snoopy]

These days I treat it as an evil necessity ~ Although years ago I used to go to a barber in Southampton (in Bernard Street, down by the docks, to be exact). That was a much more social event. Much card playing and wine drinking went on among the cognoscenti. The barber was a large Greek who had simply got off a ship one day and stayed. One helped one's self to a glass on entering the premises and just drank your fill. Cards (usually cribbage) and dominoes were played with an ever changing line up of players throughout the day and a "boy" was retained to sprint to the bookies and place bets for the regulars. Acceptance into the "club" was very much a matter of being known in the "right circles". Often one would spend an afternoon there without having a haircut but a comb was always passed through your barnet to justify the charge.
The price of the haircut was a matter of negotiation directly related to the amount of wine consumed, the winnings or losings at cards/dominoes/horses.
Since moving from the area I have never enjoyed having a haircut.

[Nick]

My kind of place 

[Pastis]

A head massage  

Given the choice of nestling my head against the mincing Sergio or the delectable Krystina I'd go for the latter every time  

I mean it's quite an intimate experience having someone's digits that close to you, specially if they're wielding a pair of scissors     I prefer a build up of trust and showing of some respect at the very least.

Snoops, that sounds exceptional 

[Snoopy]

I've never found another like it.

For football/racing fans with a memory Mike Channon ~ ex Southampton and England footballer and latterly a sucessful race horse trainer used to come in to get his locks tarted up ~ (he had a perm that his brother who ran a barbers in Bedford Place used to do for him) but Mick liked the gambling aspect. I was managing a local shop and Channon had a sports shop round the corner. The Southampton Club Captain, Terry Paine, had a greengrocers shop about two miles away at Foy's Corner, Shirley. (Info is for those that know the area) He was not averse to a drink and a flutter either.

[tel]

When I was about 10 or 11 I used to cycle to the barbers on a Saturday morning for a trim.

When my hair-cut was finished, there was always the "something for the weekend" remark. Everybody would crease up - it was little bit later that I found out what they were referring to.
I can't recall what my responses were, but they just made them laugh even more.

[Nick]

When I was littlle, my Dad took me to a barber called Mr Trigger 

He had been a barber in the army.

All he could do was shave heads.

When I was 10 he died. I was really pleased 

[Snoopy]

At that age I used to be sent from school. My Dad used to say "Get to the barber tonight then come round to the shop" whilst we had brekky. I would walk drag my feet to the barber shop that was a few doors away from Dad's shop. Always the same ... place full of smoke, men reading racing form and the barber would look up at my entry and say "Sit there young 'un" and indicate with a jerk of his head toward a chair ready equiped with a plank across the arms for short boys to perch on. There I sat until he deemed it time to deal with me ...... short back and sides with no argument. The only other thing said would be, as he started with the clippers, "Yer Dad's bin in and paid so don't even ask for any other sort of 'aircut".
I would then go round to Dad's shop and spend the time until he closed tearing up empty shoe boxes ready for collection and dusting shelves. Dad would then cycle home with me on his crossbar, until he deemed I was too heavy when he rode and I trotted alongside the whole 3 bloody miles to home.

[Miss Creant Commander of the picklement and baking BAb(Hons)]

That's prolly why you are still here Snoops despite all the odds.

[Snoopy]

You could be right. 

[Just One More]

I've never found another like it.

For football/racing fans with a memory Mike Channon ~ ex Southampton and England footballer and latterly a sucessful race horse trainer used to come in to get his locks tarted up ~ (he had a perm that his brother who ran a barbers in Bedford Place used to do for him) but Mick liked the gambling aspect. I was managing a local shop and Channon had a sports shop round the corner. The Southampton Club Captain, Terry Paine, had a greengrocers shop about two miles away at Foy's Corner, Shirley. (Info is for those that know the area) He was not averse to a drink and a flutter either.

Sounds fantastic Snoopy


Although folically challenged, I go to a turkish barber each month, haircut, neck shave with an open blade and flame on the ears to remove any remaining bits, then quick massage of the neck and shoulders, totally relaxing and all for £8

turkish barber ear hair removal

[Pastis]

Ahhhhh!    The Skool Barber!

They used to arrive in a van (I'm sure) and on reflection seemed to be rather like the Lavender Hill Mob    I can't remember the guy's name but probably will before the night's out. It was short back and sides on an industrial level. There was blood, greasy hair all over the floor, music coming from a transistor radio they'd brought with them and the gaffer used to have an untipped Player's dangling from his lip throughout.
Sheep shearing was what we called it.  

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Right! Next? Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz..... and so on ....