Century Old Newcastle Khet forced to close due to three times the rent

Madelin Flack

BBC Radio Newcastle

George Scott Gentleman’s hairdressers have been open for more than a century

BBC outside George Scott Gentleman's hairdresser at Newcastle City Center. The outer is painted in dark green with white text painted on it. — George Scott Gentleman’s hairdressers have been open for more than a century

A hairdresser shop that has been open for more than a century is closing three times after the cost of its rent.

Employees of George Scott Gentleman’s hairdresser at Newcastle City Center said they were “destroyed”, but they had no option but to close because the business price could not increase.

He also said that he expects to welcome more and more customers before closing his doors in December.

The owner of the building, the Genford Group – which owns several commercial properties in the North East – has been approached for comments.

The group bought the building on the side in 2019.

It is believed that the oldest barber shop in Newcastle has maintained its original, vintage decoration.

Alan Simon, who has been cutting hair at the shop for almost a decade, said he was “absolutely gobsmacked” when he hears about the increase in fares.

They shared the news Social media and said that the response so far was “unprecedented”.

“I am not surprised at the response because it is a great deal for generations of people.

“We have lost the elderly customers, but their grandchildren and grandchildren had to bring new ones -a real feeling of the community,” he said.

Alan Simon, who has worked at the shop for more than a decade, said it was special for many people

Alan Simon stands in the gentleman of George Scott. The shop is painted in blue and has several vintage paintings on the walls. Alan is wearing a blue shirt and a green apron. — Alan Simon, who has worked at the shop for more than a decade, said it was special for many people

Russell, one of the regular customers of the shop, has been coming from 1982 to his haircut, when he was 16 years old.

“I was really sad for the leads, my first ideas were: ‘What are they going to do?” If you keep the fare up three times, no one can maintain it.

“This is just a part of my life. This is something that I look forward to, coming in and what is happening in people’s lives, I am doing a chat,” he said.

Employees have now started a petition, in which the owner of the building has been asked to increase the fare “and” identify “the historical and cultural value of the business.