SP Styling: Saviour of Stubble

There is something peculiar about this town. Considering its distaste for large chain establishments and desire to maintain its beautiful antique demeanour, I was stupefied upon coming to realize our lack of classic men’s barbers. I don’t mean the dangerous-looking joint on South Street that’s dying to force whisky down your throat before putting a blunt knife to your scalp, but a traditional barber, that cherishes the craft of hot shaves, has a million different colognes at your disposal, not to mention the crucial Italian owner whose shirt is just a little too tight. That idyllic dream is nothing short of a mirage right now, and I doubt it will materialise any time soon. But, it’s not all bad news! 

Only a few months ago, a new kid showed his face on the block. Squeezing it’s way between the narrow shops of our beloved Bell Street (Dervish, keep working that magic) is SP Styling, run by a lovely Finnish lady, whose name I forgot to ask. Although she works alone and it is almost impossible to book a haircut for the same day, she has shone a light of hope in to the dim abyss of men’s haircuts. The little shop is pristine and cozy; the haircut superb. She takes excellent care and works like a master craftsman on a Swiss watch. Searching high and low for a reasonable haircut in our seaside town, you end up at either one extreme or the other: Sophie Butler is expensive and caters more for women, whereas Sweeney Todd’s down in the Badlands is a gamble, to say the least.

SP Styling has managed to strike the golden middle: £10 for a gent’s trim and the result is fantastic. You’ll feel like a king walking down Market Street with your fresh cut. 2nd-year Econ student Chris Travis went in to see for himself (the bastard was sceptical). His words upong leaving? “I’m really pleased with my new haircut. It’s banging.”

Well gentlemen, don’t listen to me or Chris – go see for yourself.