A Chelmsford barber is putting away his scissors after working for 50 years as a hairdresser.
Geoff Barnard, 65, of City Barbers in Upper Bridge Road, has cut hair for some of his dedicated customers since 1955.
He started out as a barber at the beginning of 1955 after leaving school, along with his brother. They bought one of their own shops in 1965 and since then Geoff has managed his own shops, moving around to various locations in Chelmsford before settling at the current location in the 1970s.
''We tend to be a dying breed,'' said Geoff. ''A lot of barbers are almost forced to become unisex due to the rising cost of rents and fees. Luckily mine is freehold, having bought it in the 1970s.
''The lowest point in my career was the long hair period,'' chuckled Geoff. ''That put a lot of the barbers out of business, really sorted the men from the boys, but we survived, and we are now busier than ever, so I'm getting out while I can.''
Published Friday July 16, 2004
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