The Great British Barber Bash is taking its education to both Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland, offering two day courses in
DUBLIN, BELFAST, CORK, LIMERICK, and KILKENNY.

Educators scheduled to feature include Hayden Cassidy and Ollie Foster
(educators vary depending on location).

Demonstrations take place each morning and you will work on up to four live models over the two days. Two educators work on each course ensuring great attention will be paid to every attendee.

The GBBB tailor the courses to the individual’s needs and the educators will work closely with students on whatever area of barbering they want to develop. The course is suitable for all abilities.

Ideal for barbers or hairdressers who want to massively improve their barbering ability. This course will take your skillset to the next level, give you new ideas, techniques and a fresh approach.  

For all the information needed to get booked in, go to https://greatbritishbarbersbash.co.uk/barberskool-two-day/

A Reading barbershop is offering free haircuts and food to homeless people, refugees and anyone else in financial difficulty.

Wahed Ullah who owns Diamond Scissors on Oxford Road says he wants to help people who have suffered the most during the pandemic.

Client Roberta is currently sleeping on a friend’s sofa while she seeks help to find a more permanent solution. A trip to the hair salon is a luxury she cannot afford right now. This was her first haircut in three years.

She says: “It’s absolutely fantastic, it’s actually unbelievable because no one else has offered anything else like this”.

As well as free hair cuts, the barbershop is also offering free food to those in need as well as providing them with essential toiletries.

Hundreds have so far taken up the offer and the service has now been expanded to two days a week with the help of community-based charity Sadaka.

The barbershop owner, Waheed Ullah, says: “I’ve been in my life in a hard situation and I was thinking it was my aim to help needy people. We are human beings and as humans, we have to help each other”.

One customer says: “Oh it means quite a lot to me that I’m able to come and get a free haircut, free food, have a chat, a cup of coffee.”

“You know I think a lot of people will be proud of what these people are doing for them you know.”

And paying customers agree this barbershop is a cut above the rest, with one saying: “I’m so glad I’m coming here all the time and help other people, it’s something very nice”.

Dexter Dapper Johnson, the International Artistic Director for Toni & Guy and Label.M, Head of Men’s Education, has teamed up with CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) to raise money for men’s mental health, by organising a Charity Football Game. CALM is a non-profit organization, leading the movement against suicide.

Dexter said: “We are here to keep raising awareness with regards to men’s mental health and well being. Every week 125 people in the UK take their own lives. And 75% of all UK suicides are male.”

With the aim to raise awareness and funds for men’s mental health and wellbeing, Dexter has organised a charity football match. Hosted by Cray Wanderers Football Club, and sponsored by the Kelleher Group, barbers and hairdressers will gather on Sunday, 29^th of August to play and raise money!

Watch some of the leading hairstylists and barbers in the industry, including Kevin Luchmun, Charlie Cullen, Josh Lamonaca Jonathan Andrew, Jody Taylor, and many more. They may not all be pro players, but they’ll have the best haircuts on the field!

The game will take place at 2:00pm at Flamingo Park Sports & Leisure, Chislehurst DA14 6QQ on Sunday 29 August 2021.

To donate click here:  https://gofund.me/7df6bc52

The BarbersRide barbers started the first leg of their journey yesterday, Sunday the 8^th of August, taking on the longest section of the journey, from Liverpool to Glasgow. The forty-odd riders gathered on the 7^th of August from all across the UK, in aim to raise money for the Make a Wish Foundation, and to ride their motorbikes across the north of England and into Scotland, stopping at reputable barbershops along the way.

Having gathered at Cut Throat Pete’s Barbershop in Liverpool on Saturday, the barbers’ first full day of riding was nothing short of eventful. True to the Scottish reputation, the riders experienced nearly every variation of weather; including thunder, lightning, and torrential downpour.

Luckily, the night’s event was hosted at the lovely and atmospheric House Martin Barbershop in the City Center of Glasgow. Owner Stephen Martin was there to give all the riders a warm Glaswegian welcome, with high-quality whisky to warm up with! The night continued at the bar next door, the Howlin’ Wolf, where the riders exchanged stories and prepared for their next day’s journey to Fort William.

After their stop at Fort Williams Stag&Buck barbershop, the riders will continue on to Dundee, stopping at Hard Grind Barbershop. Wednesday, the barbers will visit Ultimate Grooming in Yarm, then finish their journey together at Lords’ Barbering in Leeds on Thursday.

BarberEVO was able to catch up with the barbers during their stop in Glasgow and hear a bit about their involvement and love for BarbersRide. One said: “To take on this ride, you have to be a little crazy, love bikes, and love being a barber. That’s what makes it so fun, and the long, wet days like today, worth it!”

Stephen, owner of House Martin said: “It feels great to be able to get involved in the fundraiser for the Make a Wish Foundation, and host members of the barbering community in the shop again. It has been a long time since we have been able to get together and hold an event like this, and it was an honour to be able to represent Glasgow in the BarbersRide event!”

We wish the riders the best of luck for the remainder of their journey, and applaud their efforts and bravery for weathering the storm to raise money for a worthy cause like the Make a Wish Foundation!

To learn more, or to donate to the cause, click here

A barbershop in Newport, Wales has been closed for two weeks and it was found in multiple breaches COVID-19 health and safety guidelines.

The not so aptly named ‘A Smart Barber Shop’ were given a surprise visit from the Newport City Council enforcement officers last week, and while at the shop they found that no member of staff was wearing any PPE, let alone the type II mask and visor set required by the Welsh government.

The close contact risk was so apparent that the client’s contact information also have to be taken for the purposes of Track and Trace.

Newport City Council has instructed the business to be closed for 14 days from the July 28^th, when the notice was issued, until August 11. This notice can also be appealed to Magistrates’ Court.

This is A Smart Barber Shop’s second offence regarding COVID violations, however their first offence was withdrawn after they applied the changes that was asked from the enforcement team.

Image: walesonline.co.uk

First Minister Paul Givan and Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill had a virtual meeting of the Executive on Thursday 22^nd of July to confirm a several changes regarding coronavirus restrictions, another discussion will take place on Monday 26^th of July continuing the conversation of the ease of restrictions.

Still under consideration for changes are places such as theatre and concert halls, however the number of people allowed to meet outside, along with barbershops and salons will now be able to remove the ‘booking only’ means of business.

The Northern Ireland Executive said “modest relaxations” had been reached after thorough consideration in a statement on Thursday afternoon.

Currently hairdressers and other close contact can only operate with booking systems or appointments. From Monday this will be eased, and Ireland will follow the likes of Scotland, where walk-in customers are permitted.

Image: belfasttelegraph.com

Independent high street business debt has more than quadrupled over the last year, a new Grimsey Review report has revealed, warning that Britain is facing a fresh wave of closures this autumn.

• Debt for high street independents has more than quadrupled
• Working conditions have become more insecure – 63% of people working in beauty salons are now self-employed
• Growth of trader associations and new adaptive spaces is giving indies a bigger voice and encouraging a new generation of high street entrepreneurs

In the latest review from veteran retailer Bill Grimsey, his team examine Britain’s vibrant independent shops, services and hospitality businesses, which have done so much to turn our high streets and town centres into attractive community places.

With 17,500 chain stores closing in 2020, Grimsey warns that a tsunami of smaller independents could soon follow. They are believed to owe £1.7billion and, as business support measures are withdrawn, thousands are vulnerable.

“Our high street independents have experienced a newfound appreciation during lockdown,” he said.  “But they’ve also been forced to take on government-backed loans, which they would not have normally been able to get because their balance sheets wouldn’t allow it. Now they are struggling to manage a mountain of debt and need help.”

The review is calling for a Government ‘forgiveness scheme’ to write off government-backed loans for viable small businesses.

“The French Government is already working on a policy to save small businesses from being crushed by debt and we need to do the same to save thousands,” added Grimsey.

In a wide ranging examination of how high street independents have survived the pandemic and their impact on communities, the review also looks at a new generation of retailers that are trying out bricks and mortar retail after first building online brands.

To support this sector more, it urges Government to take action on business rates in their autumn review, and calls for more initiatives to entice online entrepreneurs onto the high street.

The review also acknowledges the huge contribution made by hair and beauty, the fastest growing sector on the high street. However, it warns that the sector has become more precarious during the pandemic, with thousands of workers shifting to self-employed status.

It is also suffering from a lack of regulation, and deteriorating standards are encouraging a race to the bottom.

The UK is one of the only countries in Europe and North America where hairdressers and barbers aren’t regulated. Furthermore, after a week’s course, people can start injecting Botulin or reshaping customers’ faces with a dermal filler.

In conclusion, Grimsey said that Britain would not ‘build back better’ unless policymakers looked beyond infrastructure investment to equally prioritise small business and strengthening the social fabric of high streets.

“Britain is at a crossroads and the pandemic has brought about sweeping changes that will make a decisive break with a traditional high street model,” he warned. “But we can’t build our way out of trouble. To unlock the potential of our high streets, we need to focus on people, partnerships and communities as well.”

“That means protecting small businesses. It means supporting a new breed of digitally savvy entrepreneurs and making high streets a testbed for new thinking. And it means promoting high standards and regulating key sectors like hair and beauty. Britain needs a social recovery to lock in an economic one and our high streets should lead by example.”

Hair & Barber Council Registrar/CEO, Keith Conniford, said: “This highly anticipated review focuses on the increasingly worrying position of the retail, hair and beauty and hospitality sectors. It highlights the plight of our sector specifically, and the lack of support we have been given in spite of the many reports, letters and contacts The Hair and Barber Council made during the pandemic to MPs, Cabinet Ministers and direct to No 10.“

He continues “The report highlights the real need for our sector to be regulated to protect it moving forward and forms part of its recommendations to Government. Salons, Barber Shops and Beauty salons/spas are the powerhouse of the high street and Government must now start to seriously listen, support and help us to finally amend the current Act of Parliament from voluntary to mandatory….not until then will we ever be taken seriously as the professional industry we clearly are. The time is now…..a fascinating piece of work.”

Eight of Croydon’s finest barbershops will soon be offering free on the spot blood pressure tests to their clients in an attempt to raise awareness and potentially give life-saving advice.

This scheme started in April and is a UK first being run by London South Bank University (LSBU), Croydon BME Forum, and Off the Record.

The groups provide eight barbers who have customers in Croydon with the training they need to diagnose. Among them are Lambeth, Southwark, and Bromley to deliver the blood pressure checks at their premises, an effective way to detect for issues. About 30% of men in the UK are believed to have high blood pressure and problems relating to it.

The project is inspired by a successful health venture in Los Angeles barbershops, which resulted in 68% of those diagnosed with high blood pressure in said barbershops leaving the study with more healthy blood pressure levels.

The eight barbershops participating are:

• Da Ace Of Fades (Thornton Heath)
• The Barber Shop (Croydon)
• Finishing Touches (Mitcham)
• Yian the Barber (South Norwood)
• Cutter Hair Doctor (South Norwood)
• J & D Doyleys (Thornton Heath)
• House of Bertrand (Bromley)
• Juls The Hair Klinik (Mitcham)

Have you heard of Stormzy, Anthony Joshua, and Lebron James? Well Mark Maciver has – he’s worked with all of them. Work such as this has recently led Maciver to be named part of this year’s Top 25 Entrepreneurs List by the Black Business Sow.

Slider Cuts is located Hackney Road, the space between Hackney and Tower Hamlets, since 2018, but the brand has been around for about 10 years. Mark left Camden, London, in 2004 and has been in the Hackney area ever since.

Maciver said “When I was working in another shop my nickname was Slider. So when I decided to set-up a website for myself I called it Slider Cuts”.

Currently Maciver is one of the biggest and most sought-after Black Barbers in the United Kingdom, but still feel gratitude towards this announcement from the Black Business Show. He stated that “It’s an honour”.

Image: complex.com

Staff of the Fort William, Scotland, Stag&Buck barbershop have recently scaled Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in all of Scotland, to cut hair at the peak all in the name of Make-A-Wish.

They reached the top of the 4,413ft climb and started giving clients the chop, ditching the traditional barber seats for a very inviting and rewarding pile of rocks, looking rather dapper in their Reuzel capes. “Ben Nevis, 4,413 feet, completed it mate.” The shop posted on their Facebook page after the climb.

Terri Nicolson and Sharon Sweeney, Co-owners of the shop, undertook this challenge to not only perform the “UK’s Highest Haircut” but to raise money for the incredible organisation, Make-A-Wish.

Stag&Buck’s ventures doesn’t end there however, they are also the Fort William stop for the up-and-coming Barbersride, and you can read our full article on that amazing tour here.

They sign off “We try to get involved with a lot of charity and local community events where we can. To us our wee barber shop is about way more than just cutting hair.”