THE BLACK barbershop. A vibrant hub for vocal expression, a bell-weather for political, sporting and every other form of opinion, a font of creative expression – its importance on the cultural landscape is inescapable.

Although it was originally thought that hairdressers could be among the first businesses to reopen as lockdown restrictions ease, the Government has revealed that they are not likely to reopen until July at the earliest.

Often bunched in large clusters in any given black neighbourhood, their loss during the coronavirus pandemic is striking.

South Norwood is one such example. It is a residential area situated in the north of Croydon comprising emigres from black communities in other parts of south London, seeking to move up and out of rental and social housing and find affordable housing stock on the property ladder.

I have no doubt barbers will be in high demand once they are allowed to safely re-open.

Josh Burrell, curator of #UKBarberlist

Other than on match days when football supporters descend on the area to watch resident Premier League team, Crystal Palace FC, the area has a largely sedate air.

But it also has a vibrancy arising from the 13 plus black barbershops which exists within a half mile radius of its epicentre. More than any other enterprise on the High St, the closure of barbershops has left an eerie feel on the neighbourhood.

Josh Burrell, curator of #UKBarberlist is a former resident. It didn’t take the advent of Covid 19 for Josh to first lament how intrinsic the black barbershop was to his life.

Idea

“The idea of #UKBarberlist came to me when I very quickly discovered the lack of good barber shops when I moved out of South Norwood and upped-sticks to Richmond. None there could cope with the unique things that Afro-Caribbean barbers handle naturally – like a good fade or preserving an ailing hairline.

“#UKBarberlist makes it easier for people who find themselves in similar circumstances, or who need a decent trim when they are outside their normal area. I have no doubt barbers will be in high demand once they are allowed to safely re-open, so my tool should be a good way to help people get their hair sorted.”

Trimmers

In the meantime, despite demand for trimmers quite not joining the list of toilet rolls, flour and Nintendo Switch consoles on the list of lockdown essentials, lockdown has brought about some changes.

For many starved of a professional cut, pragmatism has been the watchword. Using the time as an opportunity to grow hair or beards to new lengths or going down to skin are the most obvious manifestations and notably, there has been an increased participation of women in home men’s grooming activities during the lockdown. 

You can submit your barbershops and barbers to #UKBarberlist using the form: https://bit.ly/barberlist or by tweeting @jb_new