Residents of Ashford in Kent say the town is overrun with hairdressers


A town with 28 hairdressers within a mile of each other has been slammed as overrun – while others praised the salons for keeping busy with so much competition. 

There are eight hairdressers on a single 200-metre stretch of road in Ashford, Kent, leading some residents to wonder whether locals ‘just have good hair’. 

Last month – when HD Barbers moved in – the total was brought up to 28 in a town with a population of around 74,000.

Resident Angela Lines said the numbers make the town boring. She added: ‘There are too many – same as cafes. Bring back shops we can browse around. It will keep the high street alive and browsing leads to sales.

A town with 28 hairdressers within a mile of each other has been slammed as overrun – while others praised the salons for keeping busy with so much competition

There are eight hairdressers on a single 200-metre stretch of road in Ashford, Kent, leading some residents to wonder whether locals 'just have good hair'. Pictured: Charisma salon on the high street

There are eight hairdressers on a single 200-metre stretch of road in Ashford, Kent, leading some residents to wonder whether locals ‘just have good hair’. Pictured: Charisma salon on the high street

Resident Angela Lines said the numbers make the town boring. Pictured: Papa G's Barber on Bank Street in Ashford, Kent

Resident Angela Lines said the numbers make the town boring. Pictured: Papa G’s Barber on Bank Street in Ashford, Kent

Resident Ms Lines added: 'There are too many [salons] - same as cafes. Bring back shops we can browse around. It will keep the high street alive and browsing leads to sales'. Pictured: AT salon

One resident said the abundance of salons all in a small radius of each other has meant that 'we've certainly lost our nice market town we used to have'. Pictured: Namuna Hair & Beauty Salon

Resident Ms Lines added: ‘There are too many [salons] – same as cafes. Bring back shops we can browse around. It will keep the high street alive and browsing leads to sales’. Left: AT salon. Right: Namuna Hair & Beauty Salon

Just a few yards away from Papa G's Barber on Bank Street, another babershop, Razor Room can be found. These are two of many barbers found in Ashford

Just a few yards away from Papa G’s Barber on Bank Street, another babershop, Razor Room can be found. These are two of many barbers found in Ashford

Not all residents think the amount of salons is a bad thing. Ashley Close told KentOnline: 'People should be applauded for starting their own business and making their own money, not whinged at.' Pictured: Tommy's Barbers

Not all residents think the amount of salons is a bad thing. Ashley Close told KentOnline: ‘People should be applauded for starting their own business and making their own money, not whinged at.’ Pictured: Tommy’s Barbers

In Park Street there is NAT'ural Hair, while Christophe, Kings Barber, Gentleman's Barber and Master Cutters (pictured) are a stone's throw away

In Park Street there is NAT’ural Hair, while Christophe, Kings Barber, Gentleman’s Barber and Master Cutters (pictured) are a stone’s throw away

 

Koko Barbers on Castle Street is another one of the multitude of salons in Ashford

Dyson Brown is a unisex salon on Tufton Street in Ashford, Kent

Koko Barbers and Dyson Brown are two more barbershops in close radius of each other. Some residents have slammed the town for having ‘too many’ salons

‘We’ve certainly lost our nice market town we used to have.’

Not all residents agreed. Ashley Close told KentOnline: ‘People should be applauded for starting their own business and making their own money, not whinged at.’

What are Ashford’s 28 salons all within a mile of each other  

NAT’ural Hair, Christophe, Gentlemans Barber, Edge, Master Cutters, Dyson Brown Barbers, Tommy’s Barbers, House of Hair, Papa G’s Barber, Razor Room, Dyson Brown, HD Barbers, Celly’s, Sweeneys, Namuna, AT Barbers, Charisma, Angels, Lounge Hair, KOKO for Men, Man Cave, Spencers Barbers, Melvin & Westleigh Brooks Barbers, Buzz Hair Design for Men, Riz Barber 3, Blossoms Hair and Beauty, Kings Barber and Trend Hair.

The high street is crammed with hairdressers all within a few yards of each other, namely: Celly’s, Sweeneys, AT, Charisma and Namuna.

In Park Street there is NAT’ural Hair, while Christophe, Kings Barber, Gentleman’s Barber and Master Cutters are a stone’s throw away.

There is also Edge – a vegan salon – in Castle Street, run by Janet Maria Clare, 48. 

In Bank Street, almost every other shop caters for people’s barnets, with Dyson Brown, Tommy’s Barbers, House of Hair, The Old English Barber Shop, Papa G’s Barber and the Razor Room a minute’s walk from each other.

There are two hairdressers in the town’s Park Mall while County Square shopping centre has a barber – Man Cave – too. 

The average age of people in the town is 40 and it has an almost even split between women (51 per cent) and men (49 per cent).

Another resident, Louise Day, 39, said the numbers weren’t a problem.

She said: ‘Ideally we’d like a bit more variety but I guess if they’re doing well it’s hard to complain about it.

Another resident, Louise Day, 39, said the numbers weren't a problem. She said: 'Ideally we'd like a bit more variety but I guess if they're doing well it's hard to complain about it.' Pictured Gentlemen's Barber in Ashford

Another resident, Louise Day, 39, said the numbers weren’t a problem. She said: ‘Ideally we’d like a bit more variety but I guess if they’re doing well it’s hard to complain about it.’ Pictured Gentlemen’s Barber in Ashford

One of the 28 salons in Ashford, Kent, is Edge - a unisex organic and vegan salon - in Castle Street, run by Janet Maria Clare, 48

One of the 28 salons in Ashford, Kent, is Edge – a unisex organic and vegan salon – in Castle Street, run by Janet Maria Clare, 48

Christophe (pictured) and NAT'ural Hair are two of 28 salons all in a single market town

NAT'ural (pictured) is a newer addition while Christophe was established in 1972

Christophe and NAT’ural Hair are two of 28 salons all in a single market town. NAT’ural is a newer addition while Christophe was established in 1972

‘Do people here just have good hair? Maybe.’

A staff member at one of the women’s salons said: ‘At the end of the day they are all busy and they’re all making money – maybe that’s what High Streets should be like?’

There are an estimated 35,000 hairdressers in England, with almost 15 per cent in the south east, according to figures released by the Hair and Beauty Industry Authority.

A spokesman for Ashford Borough Council said as long as businesses were opening up, it was a positive sign.

He added: ‘We support business in the town centre and a varied offer is critical to continue to grow the town centre.’