A quiet Welsh town is in the middle of a heated debate about whether the local barber industry has reached its breaking point.
Porth, a community nestled in the Rhondda Valley, already boasts five barber shops catering to its 6,000 residents.
Now, a sixth shop, proposed by a Kurdish businessman, is sparking a wave of opposition from local business owners and the wider community.
Local Business Concerns Over Saturation
Porth’s town center is already home to five Turkish-style barber shops, and an additional seven traditional hair salons.
These establishments are spread out over just two streets, all within a six-minute walk of each other.
The arrival of another barber shop is being met with skepticism by local shopkeepers who argue that the town is already “overrun” with such businesses.
One of the barbers, Snur Abdulhmid, 18, who works at Porth Barbers, explained that the market is already saturated. “There are too many.
We don’t need another one,” he said, adding that such competition could drive businesses to close.
Abdulhmid stressed that his barbershop is a legitimate operation that pays taxes and follows regulations, despite the broader concerns about some Turkish and Kurdish barbers being used for illicit activities like money laundering.
A Local Business Landscape Facing Challenges
The town’s central streets, like Hannah Street, used to host a variety of retail stores, including a Boots chemist, Woolworth’s, and a Clarks shoe shop.
However, like many other high streets across the UK, Porth has seen a shift, with numerous nail bars, takeaways, and charity shops now filling the spaces.
Last month, a local branch of New Look closed down, further highlighting the economic struggles of the area.
Porth’s Chamber of Trade has strongly opposed the new barber shop, citing the oversaturation of the market.
“There are already 13 hairdressers and barbers within a radius of 600 yards,” the chamber noted, which is causing concern for the town’s economic diversity.
The chamber also pointed out that approving another barber shop could hurt other local businesses by contributing to a lack of variety and customer choice.
Growing Competition and Concerns of Illicit Activity
The growing number of barber shops in Porth is part of a larger trend across the UK, with 750 new barbers opening in the past year despite a general downturn on high streets.
This surge has led to concerns that some barber shops may be linked to organized crime, using the business as a front for money laundering.
Just last week, raids on Turkish barber shops in the West Midlands resulted in the seizure of over £500,000 in illegal cash.
Some residents of Porth are also voicing concerns about the quality of services.
Videos on social media have shown poor-quality haircuts, including patchy skin fades, leading to suspicions that some shops may be cutting corners to maximize profits.
A Divided Community
While some townspeople have raised objections, others express indifference, pointing out that there’s no harm in having multiple options for haircuts.
However, retired plumber David James, 76, feels that the abundance of similar businesses makes the town center less attractive.
“It can’t be sustainable. It makes the town center unattractive when you get so many businesses offering the same thing,” he remarked.
The local Chamber of Trade is not alone in its opposition.
Many social media users have echoed their concerns, with one commenting, “They are overrun with barbershops,” while another said, “This is getting beyond a joke.”
A Call for Action
The Chamber of Trade has formally written to the local council, urging them to reject the application for the new barber shop.
They argue that approving the new business would only exacerbate the current challenges and offer no tangible benefits to the community.
“It would strain existing businesses, erode the diversity of the high street, and go against public sentiment,” the chamber concluded.
With the application now under consultation, Porth’s residents await the decision, unsure whether another barber shop will push the town’s high street to the brink.