‘Baldy Barber’ says scrap Vat as other outlets close

One of Cork’s best known barber shop owners has expressed concern about the closure of a number of long-established family businesses in his trade.

Mick Moriarty blamed the undercutting of prices in the industry and the crippling impact of Vat.

The owner of the Baldy Barber in Blackpool, Mr Moriarty said four barber shops with nearly 300 years of combined service in the city have closed their doors in recent months.

“In the last six months, we had four well-established barber shops closing down. I know age (retirement) might be there for some of them but I still would say they would have stayed open.

“They are so many shops opening up. People are going in for €6 haircuts and then they are coming to us to get them repaired. It is absolutely horrific. You might have one good day but then you have six bad days.”

Mr Moriarty said barber shop owners who do 15 haircuts a day at €10 a haircut are often left with less than €300 a week to live on after they pay rent, rates and Vat.

“They will have to abolish the Vat in barber shops because there are too many shops. The Vat is killing every business. That’s okay if everyone is paying the Vat but it is the guys registered that are being punished. Things are frightening.”

Meanwhile, the Baldy Barber shop will shave off 42 moustaches this weekend for free to mark the end of the Movember charity drive. The Irish Cancer Society is Movember’s charity partner in Ireland.

All Movember funds raised are directed to the Irish Cancer Society’s Action Prostate Cancer programme.