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‘Barber Jayne’, who has worked in hairdressing since she left school, bit the bullet and has started her solo barbering career

A Northampton barber, who has worked in hairdressing since she left school, has decided to go solo and feels “very lucky” to have maintained lots of her previous clients.

Jayne Geary, 54, started off on a youth training scheme at John Richardson’s when it was in George Row and has worked in a number of salons since.

However, she says the impact of the pandemic has meant hairdressers are seeing less footfall – with people attempting to cut their own hair and going longer between appointments to cut costs.

Jayne Geary, pictured, started off on a youth training scheme at John Richardson’s when it was in George Row and has worked in a number of salons since. Following the struggles the pandemic created for salons, she bit the bullet and decided to go solo after leaving her last job in April.

Jayne, who worked in her previous barber job until April this year, said: “More and more barbers were popping up in the town and it was too much for us to compete with – especially when fewer people are coming to the town.

“Making the shift to working for myself as a mobile barber was the best move, but I couldn’t have done it without the loyalty of the customers I’ve built up over the years.”

Early on in her career, Jayne knew working in a busy salon was not for her and she may now work evenings to fit around her customers’ working days, but she sees it as worth it.

Despite keeping her loyal clients on board, Jayne has seen few new ones join her – and she believes Covid-19 is to thank.

Jayne says where most men used to have their hair cut every three to four weeks pre-pandemic, they are now stretching to eight to nine. However, the Kingsthorpe barber is pushing through and has a “very supportive” family to keep her and her business going.

She said: “Building up a rapport is so important and the loyalty was there from the beginning.

“I feel very lucky that even though life gets busier, and people are on the go and work in different places, they come back to me time after time.

“But that doesn’t stop the fact that during the pandemic, families bought clippers to cut their own hair and have now continued doing that to cut costs – I haven’t seen many new customers as a result.”

Jayne says where most men used to have their hair cut every three to four weeks, they are now stretching to eight to nine.

However, the Kingsthorpe-based barber is pushing through and has a “very supportive” family to keep her and her business going.

To contact Jayne, who does both ladies and gents cuts, call 07834281315.

‘I’m very lucky’: Northampton barber goes solo during difficult time to start a business