Zeke Gerrard's The Inner Circle Barber Studio was listed as the 18th best barbershop at the British Hair and Beauty Awards and previously won Best Barbershop in the South West.
His modest appointment-only service attracts many customers, but his June 1 award was still a surprise.
Zeke said: 18th place in the UK is amazing. There are around 200 barbershops in Swindon alone. ”
Zeke trained at Boss Barber at the age of 19, then worked at Guy's before finally opening his own shop in 2022.
Since then, Zeke has become a magnet for local millionaires and bodyguards of royalty.
Zeke can't name some of them because he signed a nondisclosure agreement, and he has to lock the shop door while he trims to prevent anyone from breaking in.
He said, “We have some millionaire clients who come in very early because they like the quiet and no one else around.”
“From the beginning, I tried to do things differently. Before I decided to go for appointment-only consultations, everyone in Swindon was pretty critical of me and said it wasn't going to work.”
But he feels he offers a uniquely Swindon service of “waiting on hand and foot” for customers. He opens and closes later than others, from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
But it's not just billionaires. “I basically try my best to make ordinary people feel like VIPs, because shouldn't they?”
This service may include allocating more time per reservation or providing refreshments.
I know this will increase the price, but I feel it's worth it.
“I offer one-hour slots so that men don't feel rushed. Men don't have time to relax,” he said.
“I get to know them on a more personal level and that's why I feel like my customers come back and rarely go anywhere else. I think the retention rate is about 95% .”
His cut prices range from £12.50 for a regular cut to £43 for a full service.
“I'm not the cheapest in Swindon, but I feel I'm getting a fair price for what I'm getting,” he said.
Sieg was unable to attend the award ceremony due to his busy schedule, but is still waiting for his trophy and certificate to arrive in the mail.
He said: “I'm so proud of myself for going from not having a barber qualification to 18th place in the UK.''