A Southall Barbershop Experience.

There are plenty of places around London to get a haircut. So when it came to getting a fresh look, I decided to go a little off the beaten path. Southall, a predominantly Indian community, was my destination.

With no specific place in mind, I suddenly found myself at the doorstep of Bittu’s
Hairdressers. Upon walking into the shop, I told the receptionist that I needed a haircut. He looked at me funny and simply pointed to a bench with a few waiting customers. As I sat waiting, I soon realized how long this experience was going to take. The stylists, while diligently working, constantly stopped to converse with one another.

When my time to shine finally came about, I stepped up to the leather chair. The stylist could only speak a few licks of English, so I did much of my communicating with my hands.

I was shaved, squared up, and received one of the most traditional barbershop experiences. The back and forth banter between the stylists wasn’t in English, yet something about it made me feel at home.

Getting a fresh cut was the best decision I made all day. And it only ran me six quid.

- Text by Luke Bilek. Image of Bilek sporting his fresh cut by George Miller.