profile – The Barber’s Shop

Profile

The Barber’s Shop

Everyone knows the pretty little cottage in the centre of the village which is The Barber’s Shop run by Antonio Perretta, otherwise known as Tony. Passing by the big window I usually get a smile and the place always seems to be buzzing – so I went to investigate.

Tony came to England from Italy in 1983 at the age of 18, unable to speak any English . He had learned his trade in his home province of Puglia and had a job waiting for him in Bedford, where most of the barbers are Italian. Bedford, as everyone knows, has a large community of some 14,000 Italians and indeed they have their own Vice Consulate in the town. They mostly came to work in the Bedford brickworks in an initiative designed both to alleviate unemployment in Southern Italy and to speed up the brick production for rebuilding war damaged Britain.

The Barber’s Shop was started in 1986 by Franco Di Giacomo. He had met and married a girl from Whaddon and whilst in Melbourn one day he spotted the potential of the empty shop. Tony joined him to become an equal partner 9 months later and has been the sole owner now for the past 5 years. Tony is married to Jacqueline and lives in Biggleswade, with two daughters Eleanor aged 15 and Alice who is 13. Although they return to Italy to visit family a couple of times a year, Tony regrets now that he didn’t push the girls to learn more Italian as they grew up.

In the shop he is assisted by Sandro and Curtis and all three are obviously very involved with their clients. They hear all the family and village news and a good deal of banter goes on. I asked whether people came in and asked for a Beckham or a Brad Pitt, apparently this was the case some years ago but the current look is an old fashioned short back and sides with a side parting. Tony himself specialises in traditional shaving with hot towels. Brilliantine is no longer used, but other products such as wax, clay, texturizing cream and gels etc are used and older customers still ask for Bay Rum. He does NOT do colouring!

Tony was working in a barber shop from the age of 12 years, learning the trade after school every day in his village in Italy. It used to be customary for the local men to go in twice a week for a shave and once a month for a haircut. Most men would never shave themselves. The only time they would was when they were doing their national service. Customers would pay their bill once a year – in August, when the harvest was over and often payment would be accompanied by a gift of some produce. Tony’s grandfather NEVER shaved himself throughout his life!

Once when a stranger went in and asked for a shampoo and cut, the barber said ‘Shampoo? Shampoo? I’ll have you know this is a serious shop!’

I asked whether he ever had any problems with children having their first haircuts but he said fortunately most dads or mums bring their children along with them to let them see what happens and get them used to the idea, although it had been known for him to get halfway through a cut on one day and have to finish it off the next. Mainly the trouble was getting the child to sit still! And sometimes the tears come from the mother, not the child! When a child has his first haircut, Tony makes sure they take away a souvenir lock of hair in a nice envelope with a card – more for the mother’s benefit than the child I guess.

Tony & his crew love being in the centre of the village and in the thick of the community. They know all about their clients and their families and whilst I was there a gentleman came in and told us all about his heart attack on the golf course, the good fortune of having two first aid trained Firemen coming up behind to resuscitate him, the dramatic air lift by helicopter to Addenbrookes and subsequent installation of pacemaker. Tony had already heard the story earlier from the man’s grandson! Quite exciting.

Open six days a week with a late night on Thursdays (very popular with commuters) this is a thriving business, which has been open for sixteen years and a great asset to the community of Melbourn. Unfortunately, for obvious reasons, my husband is not qualified to be a customer but Tony has a client base ranging from three to ninety three. I left him about to deal with a young man with an enviable head of thick, dark hair. ‘No 3 on the sides and back, slightly longer on top so that I can spike it, thin it a bit and add some texture…’

It is a long way from its previous incarnation as ‘Fessor Hinkins ice cream shop or even a greengrocers, but the little cottage on the corner of Little Lane is very firmly part of the village scene and used by fathers, sons and grandfathers. It reminds me of a poem which George often quotes seen on the side of a clothing shop in old Belfast – ‘When I was a lad, I went with my dad and always got clad at Spackmans. Now I’M a dad with many a lad and we still get clad at Spackmans’ I think the same sentiments could apply to The Barber’s Shop. Mavis Howard