Last week I lamented about London’s rich architectural legacy… so, where was I? Continuing the theme, I attended a local council planning committee this week. I will be the first to admit that I am not political in anyway. In fact it takes quite a lot of persuasion to get me to a polling station during a general election, but I have been enthusiastic about this debate. It’s over the future of the EMD Cinema in Walthamstow. If you don’t know what it looks like, read more here. It’s a beautiful building both to look at from the outside and on the inside – well, it used to be. It’s where Alfred Hitchcock went to watch films as a boy. I like to think of a young, tubby, rather earnest Alfred, probably heading to a Saturday morning double bill by himself and thinking, “I bet I could be good at this!” It’s also been a live music venue and has seen acts like The Beatles, Jonny Cash and the Rolling Stones perform.
If you walk past the cinema today you wouldn’t even notice it. It is completely covered in boarding and scaffolding. The building has been shut for nigh on ten years; in 2003 a church group from Brazil bought the place and wants to turn it into a mega-sized place of worship. I have nothing against religion or church groups but to see such an iconic building cut off from its history, and forced, like an Elizabethan dancing bear, to perform tasks so alien from its instincts, is heart breaking.
At the council meeting on Wednesday night there was a huge presence of local residents protesting against the church plans and I should also mention that the church too had brought its supporters, mainly from neighbouring boroughs to cheer on its case. The arguments to keep the cinema as an entertainment venue highlighted the potential for economic regeneration for the area and also its brilliant history. Both are sound arguments. The economic side appeals to my head and the history appeals to the heart.
Both sides were extremely vocal and on the most part relatively friendly to each other, though one woman told me I shouldn’t be frequenting dens of pornography and lust. I assume she was referring to the cinema and not the council meeting… One extreme exception however was the church’s pastor who was allowed to speak. I can only say he came across as an aggressive bully, more likened to a city trader then a man of the cloth, but that’s more likely naïve idealism on my part. This pastor, I fear, treats history and historical artefacts like I did as a boy – with oblivious ignorance.
The verdict from that meeting was extremely positive for our cause. The planning committee chose to reject the church’s request not only to build within the cinema but more importantly to allow its use to be changed. We left the hall as victors of a battle but not of the war. As we walked home we passed some church supporters waiting for a bus, we heard one philosophically state, “It wasn’t God’s will.” I hope the Pastor comes to the same conclusion and sells the cinema, so it can be saved before it rots and falls to the ground.
Everyday we walk past fantastic history but rarely do we stop, look up and think about what that building has seen, what people walked through those doors, how it adds to the rich tapestry which is London. Pall Mall Barbers salutes you EMD Cinema and hope one day to advertise your film listings in our shop window!
Beware: Paul, Mal and Barbara are coming!
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Saturday 28 May 2011
Sunday 22 May 2011
The Older the Better (part 1)
One of the many unique selling points of Pall Mall Barbers is its age. We have been cutting hair for a very, very long time - to be precise, 115 years (figuratively, not personally). It is something we’re tremendously proud of. The barber’s role has changed somewhat: back in the day, your humble hairdresser might also be responsible for pulling out the odd rotten tooth and in some cases even some basic surgery . The red and white pole was a literal description of the barber’s function – it was a pole that the bloodied rags would hang from to dry. Very traditional poles should even have a bowl which served as a drip tray.
Last week I considered wet shaves in the context of Britain and the world and came to the conclusion that shaving is a universal need for the grown man. Barbering, however, is a very British pastime and our long running history proves this.
Growing up I took for granted our historic stories, traditions and definitely our old buildings. All these were common and unsurprising. I grew up in Nottingham, surrounded by Robin Hood pubs, Friar Tuck Ale Houses as Maid Marion tea houses. All of them stood within a stone’s throw of the famous Nottingham Castle. Folklore and history intertwined was everyday commonplace.
It was an incident back during my school days that made me realise that we have something unique and special – our history. Walking into class at the start of term I met a new student, who had just moved to England from the US. As my new friend crossed the threshold he came to an abrupt stop and I crashed into the back of him. In an almost trance like state he took a step back and looked up just above the door frame. The building was exceedingly old and had the year of it’s build above the door. My friend murmured in disbelief that our study room – our prison of home work - was built not just before American Independence but before America had even been discovered by Columbus.
Years later I moved to Canada and there too I saw a lack of history. The country is full of wonderful people and they have an amazing lifestyle. In fact during the ice hockey play offs I often think how nice it would be to emigrate there. They do however lack their historical buildings. For them if there is a building over one hundred years old, it is something of such rarity it will always have a crowd of people outside taking photos. As friends of mine from Canada once asked when they were visiting the UK, “Why do people ever come to Toronto for a holiday? We’ve got nothing to see. It’s all here in London!”
Be warned: Paul, Mal and Barbara need a haircut…
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Last week I considered wet shaves in the context of Britain and the world and came to the conclusion that shaving is a universal need for the grown man. Barbering, however, is a very British pastime and our long running history proves this.
Growing up I took for granted our historic stories, traditions and definitely our old buildings. All these were common and unsurprising. I grew up in Nottingham, surrounded by Robin Hood pubs, Friar Tuck Ale Houses as Maid Marion tea houses. All of them stood within a stone’s throw of the famous Nottingham Castle. Folklore and history intertwined was everyday commonplace.
It was an incident back during my school days that made me realise that we have something unique and special – our history. Walking into class at the start of term I met a new student, who had just moved to England from the US. As my new friend crossed the threshold he came to an abrupt stop and I crashed into the back of him. In an almost trance like state he took a step back and looked up just above the door frame. The building was exceedingly old and had the year of it’s build above the door. My friend murmured in disbelief that our study room – our prison of home work - was built not just before American Independence but before America had even been discovered by Columbus.
Years later I moved to Canada and there too I saw a lack of history. The country is full of wonderful people and they have an amazing lifestyle. In fact during the ice hockey play offs I often think how nice it would be to emigrate there. They do however lack their historical buildings. For them if there is a building over one hundred years old, it is something of such rarity it will always have a crowd of people outside taking photos. As friends of mine from Canada once asked when they were visiting the UK, “Why do people ever come to Toronto for a holiday? We’ve got nothing to see. It’s all here in London!”
Be warned: Paul, Mal and Barbara need a haircut…
Shaving London, Shave London, Wet Shaving London, Barbers in London, Barbers London, Barber shave London, Barbers W1, Barbers Mayfair, Barber Mayfair, Barber WC1, Barber shop Mayfair, Mens Hairdressers Mayfair, Mens hairdressing Mayfair, SW1, SW2, EC1, EC2 Soho, Convent Garden, St James, Pall Mall, London, Mens hairdressing London, Shaving London, Shave London, Barber shop, London Barbers, Shave, Barber shave, London Barber shop, Shave product London, Shaving Gifts, Shave gift, shave gift vouchers, wet shave gift vouches, mens shave, Mens shaving, shaving London, wet shaving, W1, WC1, WC2, SW1,SW2,SW6.SW6, safety razor, safety razors uk, safety razors for men, safety razors for beginners, double edged razor, double edged razor technique, shaving gifts, shaving gifts for men, shaving gifts London, shaving gifts online, shaving gifts him, shaving gift sets for men, shaving gift sets, shaving sets, shaving sets for men, shaving sets for men with brushes, shaving sets for sale, shaving sets with brush, shaving sets with mugs, shaving sets with safety razor, shaving sets with bowl, shaving sets with soaps, shaving sets uk, badger brush, badger brush shave, badger brush shaving sets, badger brush shaving kits, badger brush shaving soap, shaving brush, shaving brush stand, shaving brush set, straight razor, straight razor uk, straight razor shaving, cut throat razor, cut throat razor shave, cut throat razors for sale, cut throat, cut throat shave, cut throat shave London, gifts for men, gifts for men uk, gifts for men ideas, gifts for men who have everything, gifts for men who have everything uk, mens gifts, mens gift ideas,
Sunday 15 May 2011
The Universality of Needing a Shave
Yesterday I was sitting in Richard’s office (the ceilings are so low in there you have the option of either sitting or crouching…) and we talked about how British it is to get a proper shave from a barber. At the time I was in complete agreement with Rich, but since then, after flicking through holiday snaps with my girlfriend of our time in Turkey last year, I’m afraid I have had to change my stance on the matter.
We were staying at a resort on the coast and were bombarded with everything you’d want or need whilst taking a week off work to relax and unwind. We had plenty of sun, sand, delicious food and of course we had a traditional Hammam. For those of you who don’t know what a Hammam is, it’s a traditional Turkish massage which involves a number of requirements; opening the pores in a steam room, a soapy lather worked into your entire body, an invigorating dousing of cold water and a massage from a man who’s primary requirement for the work seems to be copious amounts of body hair. I know this as the massage takes place in the steam room and so no-one present wears much… Don’t panic you do cover your modesty with a Turkish linen towel. I’d heartily recommend the experience to anyone who is taking their summer holiday in the country.
Despite the great Turkish food including the obligatory “Delights”, the ancient ruins and the Hammam I still felt like absorbing more Turkish culture. It was then that my girlfriend suggested I should get a traditional Turkish shave. Now this is why I don’t believe we can call a wet shave ‘British’. There are differences of course. Both the Brits and the Turks treat their clients with the utmost respect, as barbers worldwide I believe not only have a code of honour to those they put a lethal weapon to, but also to the rituals themselves. However in the UK you’ll often find a traditional wet shave in the smarter areas of town; the Turkish barbers will set up shop literally anywhere and often perform their service in the doorway of their shop so their clients can chat with his friends and take in the cool breeze blowing off the sea. It’s a wonderful sight to walk along the pier as we did and see a barber methodically shave a grizzled old Turk outside the shop whilst a street dog lies in the sun at his feet.
Given the opportunity to try out a Turkish shave I jumped at the chance. I’ll admit that the process and method is very much the same as in Britain but what you get instead is a friendly simple experience and yes – cut throat prices…. sorry. Of course the biggest and most dramatic difference is when, at the end of the shave, the barber confidently inserts “burning taper” up the nostrils, and in the case of old men their ears too, to burn away the hairs. It’s a bizarre experience and though it definitely doesn’t hurt it does leave the nostril feeling bizarrely exposed. One word of warning if you choose to get a wet shave whilst on your holiday - don’t leave it to the end of the trip like I did. If you’ve grown either a beard or substantial stubble during the holiday you’ll be left with pasty white cheeks and lips to contrast with the tan/sun across the rest of your face.
Having started out in this school of thought I keep coming up with other examples of non British shaving. Look at the opening scene of The Untouchables: the famous gangster from Chicago Al Capone is getting a wet shave whilst answer questions from a bunch of journalists. I’m sure it wouldn’t take me long to come up with other nationalities who’d claim to have shaving as part of their heritage and that’s for the simple fact that all men need to shave. For some blokes it might only be a shave every few weeks and for some if they’re like my friend James from school it is ideally twice a day (though James was quite freaky).
So I will end by saying that on the one hand I disagree with Rich that a traditional wet shave isn’t necessarily British. However I will agree with him that though we don’t have exclusive rights to it, it is nonetheless one of the most relaxing and luxurious ways you could spend an hour in the capital or indeed anywhere in the country. The British also bring a certain classiness to the whole affair. The Turkish create a relaxed everyman’s right to a good shave, whereas the British barber will make you feel like you’re the king for the day. So why not get yourself feeling smooth your highness?
Beware - Paul, Mal and Barbara are coming…
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We were staying at a resort on the coast and were bombarded with everything you’d want or need whilst taking a week off work to relax and unwind. We had plenty of sun, sand, delicious food and of course we had a traditional Hammam. For those of you who don’t know what a Hammam is, it’s a traditional Turkish massage which involves a number of requirements; opening the pores in a steam room, a soapy lather worked into your entire body, an invigorating dousing of cold water and a massage from a man who’s primary requirement for the work seems to be copious amounts of body hair. I know this as the massage takes place in the steam room and so no-one present wears much… Don’t panic you do cover your modesty with a Turkish linen towel. I’d heartily recommend the experience to anyone who is taking their summer holiday in the country.
Despite the great Turkish food including the obligatory “Delights”, the ancient ruins and the Hammam I still felt like absorbing more Turkish culture. It was then that my girlfriend suggested I should get a traditional Turkish shave. Now this is why I don’t believe we can call a wet shave ‘British’. There are differences of course. Both the Brits and the Turks treat their clients with the utmost respect, as barbers worldwide I believe not only have a code of honour to those they put a lethal weapon to, but also to the rituals themselves. However in the UK you’ll often find a traditional wet shave in the smarter areas of town; the Turkish barbers will set up shop literally anywhere and often perform their service in the doorway of their shop so their clients can chat with his friends and take in the cool breeze blowing off the sea. It’s a wonderful sight to walk along the pier as we did and see a barber methodically shave a grizzled old Turk outside the shop whilst a street dog lies in the sun at his feet.
Given the opportunity to try out a Turkish shave I jumped at the chance. I’ll admit that the process and method is very much the same as in Britain but what you get instead is a friendly simple experience and yes – cut throat prices…. sorry. Of course the biggest and most dramatic difference is when, at the end of the shave, the barber confidently inserts “burning taper” up the nostrils, and in the case of old men their ears too, to burn away the hairs. It’s a bizarre experience and though it definitely doesn’t hurt it does leave the nostril feeling bizarrely exposed. One word of warning if you choose to get a wet shave whilst on your holiday - don’t leave it to the end of the trip like I did. If you’ve grown either a beard or substantial stubble during the holiday you’ll be left with pasty white cheeks and lips to contrast with the tan/sun across the rest of your face.
Having started out in this school of thought I keep coming up with other examples of non British shaving. Look at the opening scene of The Untouchables: the famous gangster from Chicago Al Capone is getting a wet shave whilst answer questions from a bunch of journalists. I’m sure it wouldn’t take me long to come up with other nationalities who’d claim to have shaving as part of their heritage and that’s for the simple fact that all men need to shave. For some blokes it might only be a shave every few weeks and for some if they’re like my friend James from school it is ideally twice a day (though James was quite freaky).
So I will end by saying that on the one hand I disagree with Rich that a traditional wet shave isn’t necessarily British. However I will agree with him that though we don’t have exclusive rights to it, it is nonetheless one of the most relaxing and luxurious ways you could spend an hour in the capital or indeed anywhere in the country. The British also bring a certain classiness to the whole affair. The Turkish create a relaxed everyman’s right to a good shave, whereas the British barber will make you feel like you’re the king for the day. So why not get yourself feeling smooth your highness?
Beware - Paul, Mal and Barbara are coming…
Shaving London, Shave London, Wet Shaving London, Barbers in London, Barbers London, Barber shave London, Barbers W1, Barbers Mayfair, Barber Mayfair, Barber WC1, Barber shop Mayfair, Mens Hairdressers Mayfair, Mens hairdressing Mayfair, SW1, SW2, EC1, EC2 Soho, Convent Garden, St James, Pall Mall, London, Mens hairdressing London, Shaving London, Shave London, Barber shop, London Barbers, Shave, Barber shave, London Barber shop, Shave product London, Shaving Gifts, Shave gift, shave gift vouchers, wet shave gift vouches, mens shave, Mens shaving, shaving London, wet shaving, W1, WC1, WC2, SW1,SW2,SW6.SW6, safety razor, safety razors uk, safety razors for men, safety razors for beginners, double edged razor, double edged razor technique, shaving gifts, shaving gifts for men, shaving gifts London, shaving gifts online, shaving gifts him, shaving gift sets for men, shaving gift sets, shaving sets, shaving sets for men, shaving sets for men with brushes, shaving sets for sale, shaving sets with brush, shaving sets with mugs, shaving sets with safety razor, shaving sets with bowl, shaving sets with soaps, shaving sets uk, badger brush, badger brush shave, badger brush shaving sets, badger brush shaving kits, badger brush shaving soap, shaving brush, shaving brush stand, shaving brush set, straight razor, straight razor uk, straight razor shaving, cut throat razor, cut throat razor shave, cut throat razors for sale, cut throat, cut throat shave, cut throat shave London, gifts for men, gifts for men uk, gifts for men ideas, gifts for men who have everything, gifts for men who have everything uk, mens gifts, mens gift ideas,
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