In praise of tradition......OT

  • BushMoot: Come along to the amazing Summer Moot 31st July - 5th August (extended Moot : 27th July - 8th August), a festival of bushcrafting and camping in a beautiful woodland PLEASE CLICK HERE for more information.

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
27,223
2,725
Mercia
Okay I'm old.

But I had a lovely weekend and, whilst not perhaps what we normally think of as traditional crafts, I thought I'd share the experience in the hope that it might make men "above a certain age" smile.

On Saturday, I went for a haircut. To my barber. I use the term advisedly. Those who are old enough will recall a proper, red and white striped pole, with bench seats on which you await your turn for a "short back and sides". Somewhere that is certainly not "unisex" or a "salon". Somewhere where you are positively not offered a latte or a copy of Grazia. So, there was me, three other old blokes and a guy in a chair. Youngish and happy to describe how he wanted his locks coiffured (beyond No.2 I hasten to add). Having had his cut he enquired whether the 60 year old, nylon jacketed barber who had charged him a fiver would "wax" his hair for him (I suspect, but cannot be certain, that nothing Brazillian was involved). He fled to the the guffaws of the entire room :D.

On Sunday I went for a pint in a country pub. Its not a wine bar, bistro, gastro or anything else. Its a country boozer. In walks Hooray Henrietta and enquires in best plummy accent where she should take her children.

"You go back out the door......." say the aging barman

"Yah....." say Henrietta "and then?"

"Thats it", says the barman, "Just go back out of the door". :lmao:

Isn't it great that there are still places where a bloke can get a blokes haircut in a place designed for normal blokes without all the silly fripery? A place thats always got a queue for a plain, simple, bloke oriented service?

Also isn't it fantastic that a pub for adults still exists where people can get a drink without being subjected to the badly behaved brats of inconsiderate parents charging about runing one of the last havens of adult peace?

Now don't get me wrong, I'm sure there is a place in this world for the "unisex salon" as well as the "family fun pub", but I'm ecstatic that there are other, more traditional, cheaper and quieter places for me :)

Red
 
Where do you live Red, St Marys Meade ? :)

No, sounds perfect squire. Nothing like that round here anymore though, maybe the odd trad barber but the pubs are certainly full on these days.
 
Now I don't think I qualfy the description " of a certain age" but I haven't been to a barbers since I left Salisbury, I used to go one on Fisherton street, but on my last return to visit my Dads, I found it had become a salon! not happy.And the Swan pub in the Woodford vally the pub i had my first pint at the right old age of fourteen, had changed into a gastro pub! all smooth walls and "local" art pieces.bummer.
 
Cant find a proper barbers around here, but just came back from Turkey where i found you can still get a haircut and a shave with a cuthroat razor for about a fiver.
 
I still use a barber like that,although they do try and cater for the youngsters.
£3.50 for No's 1-4,tabloids on the bench for your perusal,magic.

I love a Turkish shave too,ears done by burning and a neck,arm and hand massage as well,manly bliss.
 
Now I don't think I qualfy the description " of a certain age" but I haven't been to a barbers since I left Salisbury, I used to go one on Fisherton street, but on my last return to visit my Dads, I found it had become a salon! not happy.And the Swan pub in the Woodford vally the pub i had my first pint at the right old age of fourteen, had changed into a gastro pub! all smooth walls and "local" art pieces.bummer.

was that the one at the back of the tobbaconists etc he retirred many years ago liked his cars


ATB

Duncan
 
I’ve two choices, go to the barbers, sit and have my hair cut badly by an tattooed hefty sweating ex-navy stoker, whose sole topic of conversation is today is not as as good as today was in his day, or go to a unisex barber*, where either of the two girls who work there will do a great proper mans haircut (for under a tenner,) and you get a coffee, and someone nice to look at.
* Yes there is such a thing as a “unisex barber”, where you turn up, no appointments needed or made. You can have your hair cut or a hot towel shave with a cut throat (sadly disposable blades are the norm now) either using shaving oil or soap, have you ear nose or eyebrows trimmed. Or if it takes your fancy a cut and blow dry. I think they do the perm thing and dying of hair as well, but you can’t hold that against them as half of the boyhood hero’s from way back when had perm’ed hair.
So I'm in favour of tradition only when it is better than we have now.
 
As my daughter cuts my hair, she never says "something for the weekend sir" (yes I am of a certain age). The only thing I'm given to read is a bill she wants paying and the talk is about the grandkids. (But I wouldn't have it any other way)
Where ever you live Red, keep it quiet, or half of the UK will want to live there and bring unisex, family pubs with them
 
Diversity is a great thing, lets have smelly old pubs with sawdust on the floor and no booze but ale or whisky for the grumpy old men and nice clean pubs with good menus, beer gardens and healthy menu options for kids - for the rest.

There's a good barber in St Andrews like you described, you get a nip of whisky with every cut.
 
Went to our local barber on Monday morning, he's Anatolian, steadfastly not Turkish (although I thought...?) His english is ok but can lead to misunderstandings such as when the wee fella got a number 2 all over rather than just up the sides.... Mrs C not happy... Does cutthroat shaves by appointment and the level of service you get depends on how busy he is, which is why I go on a weekday morning!

Not got a decent pub in the town although we do have our own brewery.. which is nice..

Cheers,

Alan
 
The last real barber in our area retired years ago - so I bought myself some clippers and have done my own hair ever since..."salons" are not for me.....
Kids in Pubs are not my idea of "relaxation" and although I live almost next door to a pub/restaurant I hardly ever go in!
Traditionally pubs were where men escaped from their women and children for a while - now it seems it is where you go to be annoyed by other folks brats!
I have nowt against children but as I refrained from breeding any of my own why should I have to put up with other folks kids?
A well behaved child is fine (several come on our bushy meets and are great) but well behaved kids in pubs are a rarity these days it seems!
Ah well - back to my cave now.....
 
Nothing quite like a proper pub -- grumpy blokes of various ages, dart board, ale, pork scratchings. Lots of junk on the walls. Dinginess and sawdust on the floor are optional extras, but they will be appreciated.
 
A lot of people use the phrase "old man's pub" as an insult nowadays!
In my parents town there's one excellent one, the serve locally brewed cider and a decent selection of real beer.
 
We have a modern and very busy hairdresser in town but the owner is a proper barber and opens up a 06:00 on Friday and Saturday mornings and its surprising how many blokes go for an early cut.

As to pubs, we have one good old one in town and one a few miles out (but worth the trip as the beer is perfect). The smoking ban has shut down two 'men's' pubs because the punters liked a smoke with a pint so no smoke means no pint to many.

Great pub here
http://www.qype.co.uk/place/151021-The-Lamb-Hotel-Pub--Penderyn
 

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE