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Brighton men save money by growing beards


The tightening of belts is not the only change to people’s appearance to come out of the recession.

A survey has found that more people in Brighton are considering growing a beard as a money-saving measure than anywhere else in the country.

The poll, conducted by YouGov, found that 20% of people in the city said they were growing a beard to save on the cost of razors.

Barber David Banks, owner of Trafalgars Barber Shop in Trafalgar Street, Brighton, said he had noticed more hairy faces around.

He said: “I suppose I have been seeing more people with a beard.

“Over the last year or so there has been an increase.

“And I save a fair bit myself by just giving my beard a quick trim with the clippers when I get into work instead of having a full shave.

“These days people tend to have shorter style beards rather than the old fashioned bushy ones.

“We don't even do old fashioned wet shaves in the barbers shop because so few people are asking for them.”

A daily shave can cost a tidy sum.

It costs about £9.97 for a pack of five Gillette M3 Power blades Ten Bic classic razors cost just over £1 while shaving foam costs from about £1.50.

Peter Lewis, of St James’s Street Barbers in Brighton, has also noticed the increasing amounts of facial hair.

He said: “More people have been coming in with a beard.

“You see them a lot more on younger people than you did before.

“I guess it's starting to become the fashion because people want to save money.”


Your Say YourArgus

Stripes, Brighton says...
10:04am Fri 7 Aug 09

This is the lead story for the city newspaper is it? Am I meant to believe that people (yes people, we do have our fair share of bearded ladies, take the No. 1 bus for example) are growing beards because they want to save £6 every 8 weeks? No wonder you're all being made redundant or getting sent down to Southampton.

Sweet Baby Jesus.

Hong Kong Futon, Brighton says...
10:13am Fri 7 Aug 09

"It costs about £9.97 for a pack of five Gillette M3 Power blades Ten Bic classic razors cost just over £1 while shaving foam costs from about £1.50."

I can feel myself becoming more dense by the second.

And yet I keep reading.

Because I can't quite believe it.

I hate myself.

snapman, Brighton says...
10:37am Fri 7 Aug 09

Really Argus, does it need your Chief Reporter to write such stuff?. If she is
re-writing this PR handout what are the Juniors doing?.
Get out there and get some stories,leave the office and meet people.

Conor, Sussex says...
10:51am Fri 7 Aug 09

I tried shaving with a Bic Classic once, but got ink all over my face.

bertnz, brighton says...
11:48am Fri 7 Aug 09

well bugger me.... isnt that interesting

Harry Callahan, Worthing says...
12:11pm Fri 7 Aug 09

Even though I am clean shaved I cannot understand how manufactures and retailers can charge so much for shaving gear, how can they justify how an electric/rechargeabl
e shaver can cost up to £260 for what is in essence a motor,batteries, cutter & foil, and have you noticed that even with the cheaper electric shavers (£50) it is often cheaper to buy another one rather than replace the foil & cutter, I have also noticed a con that affects Braun shavers in that you have to buy the cutter & foil in one packet together, you cannot buy them individually. As anyone who uses an electric shaver knows it is the foil that needs changing most often usually about 3 times before you need to change the cutter (which does not actually cut, the foil does). As a consequence of this practice by Braun I refuse to buy Braun again until this blatant con is stopped.
P.S. when you could buy the foil & cutter separately the cost was £11 each item now the cost is £29 for both so also the price has gone UP, what a rip-off

Conor, Sussex says...
12:37pm Fri 7 Aug 09

Harry Callahan wrote:
Even though I am clean shaved I cannot understand how manufactures and retailers can charge so much for shaving gear, how can they justify how an electric/rechargeabl

e shaver can cost up to £260 for what is in essence a motor,batteries, cutter & foil, and have you noticed that even with the cheaper electric shavers (£50) it is often cheaper to buy another one rather than replace the foil & cutter, I have also noticed a con that affects Braun shavers in that you have to buy the cutter & foil in one packet together, you cannot buy them individually. As anyone who uses an electric shaver knows it is the foil that needs changing most often usually about 3 times before you need to change the cutter (which does not actually cut, the foil does). As a consequence of this practice by Braun I refuse to buy Braun again until this blatant con is stopped.
P.S. when you could buy the foil & cutter separately the cost was £11 each item now the cost is £29 for both so also the price has gone UP, what a rip-off
I'd expect a built-in MP3 player for that price.
What I'd really like is a shaver with a user replaceable rechargeable battery. My shaver needs charging every two days now, and thee's no obvious way of opening it up.

Greyrun, Hove says...
12:41pm Fri 7 Aug 09

I am a barber and have not noticed any increase in beards,who would want to look like the guy in the photo? and why does the Argus keep giving this shop free publicity with another puerile article.

Randy Lahey, Sunnyvale Trailer Park says...
1:34pm Fri 7 Aug 09

snapman wrote:
Really Argus, does it need your Chief Reporter to write such stuff?. If she is re-writing this PR handout what are the Juniors doing?. Get out there and get some stories,leave the office and meet people.
I know, I know.

I think the real story should be "Argus makes cutback in credible journalism during recession.

Today, The Argus was caught trying to pass on shaving advice, using the recession as a guise for it's underlying agenda to promote beard use throughout Sussex.

Some residents, un-named of course, have been said to be outraged at the decision, citing that increased beard-sporting makes it hard to spot child tamperers"


Lord Tilford, Tilford says...
2:00pm Fri 7 Aug 09

I'm just amazed The Argus didn't think to link this with Peter James having a beard and that his latest work of crime fiction, set in Brighton, is available in the shops now.

jonathon, Brighton says...
2:23pm Fri 7 Aug 09

How nice to see Dave Banks hit the headlines. For year he was my hair dresser when he worked in the street behind the Theatre Royal. I always wondered where he went when Keith's closed down. For me he was the best barber in the city.Thank you Argus for connecting me with this guy.

KennyKoala, Brighton says...
2:25pm Fri 7 Aug 09

snapman wrote:
Really Argus, does it need your Chief Reporter to write such stuff?. If she is
re-writing this PR handout what are the Juniors doing?.
Get out there and get some stories,leave the office and meet people.
I'm with you. Why has this drivel been published? What next? Women are buying cheaper make-up because of the recession? People are buying their pets cheaper cat and dog food? Newspapers are cutting back on reporting real news because it's cheaper to rewrite a press release?

Granny, Brighton says...
2:26pm Fri 7 Aug 09

This is the real pits of journalism. Who the devil(I suppose I can say that word) thinks we are interested in how many men are growing beards? How about some good old fashioned NEWS for a change - and it would be a change for the Argus.

Made In Sussex, Not Brighton says...
3:18pm Fri 7 Aug 09

Blimey, shaving is hardly expensive when you cmpare it to other bathroom products such as soap, shampoo, tooth paste etc.

Is it really worth it
to save a few quid a month, you would have to be very very hard up to need to save such a pitifull sum.

Also this arcticle si uselless and uninteresting, how about some real thought provoking journalism into areas of our lives that matter..what a load of cr@p!


Stu, Hove says...
3:43pm Fri 7 Aug 09

LOL What a load of twaddle!

"Barber David Banks, owner of Trafalgars Barber Shop in Trafalgar Street, Brighton, said he had noticed more hairy faces around."

Nothing to do with the fact that some people have lost their jobs and dont actually NEED to shave every morning then?

Randy Lahey, Sunnyvale Trailer Park says...
3:49pm Fri 7 Aug 09

jonathon wrote:
How nice to see Dave Banks hit the headlines. For year he was my hair dresser when he worked in the street behind the Theatre Royal. I always wondered where he went when Keith's closed down. For me he was the best barber in the city.Thank you Argus for connecting me with this guy.
What I find the most vexing is that this man is effectively saying that growing beards is a money saver, yet he has access to all manner of beard trimming and removal implements, being a barber and everything.

How is growing a beard serving him any other purpose than causing children to avoid him in parks?

BiggerH, Brighton says...
4:01pm Fri 7 Aug 09

Surely if you grow a beard, you will become more of an outcast than you already are.

No-one trusts a bloke with a beard (weak chin/possible paedo/boring ale drinker/etc).

And who remembers Catweezle??

rayellerton, portslade says...
5:47pm Fri 7 Aug 09

I have always had a mistrust of people who hide behind a beard, and also they give an impression of being pervy or weird...needless to say i remain as always clean shaven hahaaa

Bethgranter, Brighton says...
7:58pm Fri 7 Aug 09

Stu wrote:
LOL What a load of twaddle!

"Barber David Banks, owner of Trafalgars Barber Shop in Trafalgar Street, Brighton, said he had noticed more hairy faces around."

Nothing to do with the fact that some people have lost their jobs and dont actually NEED to shave every morning then?
Good point Stu! I agree this article is ridiculous, in that it didn't question the 'research' from YouGov, which I reckon must have been flawed. How many people did they question? Was it multiple choice?

I do agree there are more beards, but I think it's pretty much purely because of fashion, which is great, because they're hot!

ajfscorpio, Brighton says...
8:32pm Fri 7 Aug 09

Please......buy a pack of Tesco Value Twin Blade Disposable Rzrs 10's at £.25 per pack (£0.03 each) and make yourself gorgeous for that special gal (or guy)!!

kkj, Brighton says...
10:13pm Fri 7 Aug 09

Bethgranter wrote:
Stu wrote:
LOL What a load of twaddle!

"Barber David Banks, owner of Trafalgars Barber Shop in Trafalgar Street, Brighton, said he had noticed more hairy faces around."

Nothing to do with the fact that some people have lost their jobs and dont actually NEED to shave every morning then?
Good point Stu! I agree this article is ridiculous, in that it didn't question the 'research' from YouGov, which I reckon must have been flawed. How many people did they question? Was it multiple choice?

I do agree there are more beards, but I think it's pretty much purely because of fashion, which is great, because they're hot!
I've had a beard for years, never realised I was suddenly a babe-magnet!

Greyrun, Hove says...
10:47pm Fri 7 Aug 09

Classic example of someone losing their hair and thinking growing a beard compensates for being two steps away from being a slap head.

cheztra, Hove says...
10:45am Sat 8 Aug 09

Nothing to do with money - a lazy person does not shave

Bog Vern, says...
12:45pm Sat 8 Aug 09

Bibble will blame this on the police -be warned!!!!

Mr. Kipling, Hove says...
2:04pm Sat 8 Aug 09

I have a set of beard clippers which I got in Boots for about £8.50 and they make very short work of shaving and then I just finish it off with a BIC, although I still can`t be bothered to shave most of the time. Doing it that way saves money as you`re not going through one razor a day and you`re not shelling out on expensive replacement blades all the time that don`t actually do anything different to the BIC

Comments are closed on this article.

BEARDS ARE GOOD: David Banks, barber at Brighton's Trafalgars Barber Shop BEARDS ARE GOOD: David Banks, barber at Brighton's Trafalgars Barber Shop

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