News / barbers
The rock and roll barber with a quarter-century legacy
For the man simply known as Giggsy, the founder of the eponymous Giggsy’s Barber Shop on St Michael’s Hill, rock and roll is life. While not trimming quiffs, he is the lead singer of a rock and roll band, the Kings of Outer Space.
The first thing that meets your gaze as you enter his barbers in Cotham is the green-stringed bass guitar, standing next to a green fluorescent bass amplifier. A 50s blues track filled the air while he was trimming the side burns of a client on a recent afternoon.
The barber shop itself is a cornucopia of delights consisting of records, musical instruments, posters and photographs from various sporting events.
Giggsy’s Barber Shop opened in March 2000 and this year celebrates its 25th anniversary. “You’ve got to be part of the community,” Giggsy says. “Believe in your ethos. Keep doing what you are doing and people will keep coming back.”
Giggsy’s has always been a one-man business
Located close to the University of Bristol campus and various hospitals, its position on St Michael’s Hill provides a cross-section of people from all walks of life.
“It’s nice to see people come down for a natter. It’s always nice to see people relaxed as well. They give us all the goss about what’s happening with their lives and so on,” said Giggsy.
“You know, a university student who came for a hair cut recently said to me: ‘You used to cut my dad’s hair while he was at uni.’
“And this week I cut the hair of a lad who was getting married on Friday. He used to come here since he was little boy. So it makes it feel special to be part of their lives.”
The barber shop is a cornucopia of delights
Giggsy regularly collects prescriptions for elderly people from Cotham Pharmacy. On the last day of trading for 2023, all of the shop’s takings were donated to Shelter to help homeless community in the area. And last autumn, he launched a fundraiser for Cots for Tots which raised more than £1000.
The barbers is a one-man operation, with Giggsy saying that he has always wanted to devote all his energies to one shop by building a rapport with a raft of loyal customers.
The range of services at Giggsy’s is broad and bespoke. It could be a simple trim or a textured quiff or a punk mullet.
In terms of opening more shops, he said: “It never occurred to me. Once you do that you lose that personal touch, don’t you?”
His band, The Kings of Outer Space, all wear costumes akin to NASA spacesuits, hence the name.
As well as playing at local venues, they often travel through Europe in summer where they play at intimate settings.
The five-piece band features an upright bass with a nod to the golden age of blues, with Giggsy citing Slim Harpo, Howlin’ Wolf, BB King and Muddy Waters as his musical heroes.
Giggsy’s Barber Shop has been part of the Cotham community for 25 years
All photos: Milan Perera
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