“This lazy smear is dishonorable.”
A video of Nigel Farage visiting a British barber this week went viral. In “bants” with the shop owner, Farage ironically states:
“There are literally no thousands (Turkey barbers), they ran across the country,” he adds.
The provocative video concluded in Farage that this particular shop states that “doesn't have a Turkish sign,” “it actually has customers,” “it's rare in modern Britain,” and “it doesn't have a Lamborghini on its back.”
The video soon met with backlash.
Mike Summon, a liberal Democratic councillor in Cambridgeward South, has returned to social media to point out that his area's Turkish barbers are open seven days a week, receiving card payments and are “a welcome addition to our boulevard.”
“It's not right to make sure they don't pay taxes when they obviously do so.”
Others shared similar messages and noted the exceptional services they receive at these types of barbershops that accept card payments.
“Another week, I'm going to blow another dog whi… My local Turkish barber in northeast London got a card payment. They had dozens of loyal customers, known locally and loved by the community.
Another explained how his child gets sensory overload when attending the barber. “…The Muslim man who cuts his hair from Turkish barber has gone multiple times to make him safe. It's been nearly four years since I was able to take him over the door. I had to shave it myself.
One comment said, “It appears to be arguing that April Fool's Day Nigel Farage, who claims that April Fool's Day, has found the only barber shop that is not Turkish.”
“The joke is Farage and the kind of racism that sells. Turkish barbers are amazing and you can't get better customer service elsewhere.”
Farage's video follows a Times report on the National Crime Agency, which investigates the Turkish-style barbershop boom on the High Street over concerns that facilities are being used for money laundering and other organized crime. However, the report also acknowledges that the majority of Turkish barbers are legitimate businesses.
In fact, whether in Turkish or otherwise, barbershops have become the fastest growing sector in the UK's retail economy, with around 20,000 registered stores nationwide, with thousands of them having the brand as Turkish people.
With so much competition, barbers feel pressured, and some English barbers have doubled their English as a selling point with Union Jack displays.
However, unlike FRAGE's sensational video, as reported by FT, English barbers don't just feel the squeeze. Several established Turkish barbers have called on local councils to limit the number of new shop licenses. Regular complaints involve employees running away to open their own stores, sometimes on the same street, and then promoting lower prices.
Turkish barbers are known not only for their high quality service but also for their loyal customer base. Many of them appreciate the welcoming atmosphere and tailored service.
As one of the viewers of the Farage video observed, “Absolutely grotesque. I was in my favourite Turkish barber today. Proper customer service, proper skilled workers, the most beautiful young people you've ever met.”
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