Actually, cutting hair is one of the few trades or businesses these days which don't require any sort of professional qualification, neither are they subject to excessive regulation.Nor do they require huge start-up capital or expensive equipment or stock in order to set up, just a (short?) lease on premises.And if one were being cynical, HMRC may not always see all of the money which goes through the till but not the books (tips etc).And since the skills required are pretty much the same around the world, all this makes it ideal for immigrants (esp) to set up their own business. Which is why eg my first barber in Ealing was a Greek Cypriot who learned his trade cutting squaddies' hair at his local British Army base.And chatting recently to my present barbers in W4, who are Iraqi Kurds, one of them noted that the minute they train up a new staff member, he ups and leaves to set up his own business.But note that there doesn't seem to have been the same proliferation of Womens' hairdressers. For without meaning to detract from the professionalism required to be a good mens' barber, women are understandably far more demanding of whoever does their hair, meaning that it is much more important to be a long-standing business, with a good reputation locally.
Richard Cathcart ● 2142d