Member Article

Leeds Barbers welcomes first customers back after horror crash

A Leeds barber shop whose premises were wiped out by a drunk driver has opened its doors again after a ten-month rebuild and refurbishment.

Phil Townend, who founded Philip Nicholas barbers eight years ago, is welcoming customers back to his premises on Bradford Road, Stanningley.

“It’s been ten long months since the accident,” said barber Phil Townend. “We’d only been open six weeks after the third lockdown when the car went through our shop frontage in June 2021. The damage was extensive, the ceiling had to be propped up and the collision also took out two internal walls.”

Following the horror smash, local business owner Steven Lightfoot from Pudsey Computers started a JustGiving appeal for the two businesses housed in the premises, Philip Nicholas barbers and Creating Utopia tattoo studio, which raised over £3,000.

Phil added: “The money raised made a huge difference and allowed us to get through those first few challenging weeks, where we didn’t know if the business could survive. Madison Offices on Richard Road in Pudsey offered us a space for free for the first few weeks and we were there for ten months! We are so grateful to them, and to Steven, for what they did, coming to our rescue in our hour of need.”

Phil and his team offer a wide range of barbering services including skin fades, longer hair, head shaves, beard trims, hot towel shaves and male grooming.

“We are so excited to be back in our barbers’ shop, concluded Phil. “It’s been fully reconfigured and has a totally different look and feel. It will take our clients’ experience of the barber shop to another level. We’re looking forward to welcoming customers, old and new, back to our rightful place.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Emma Kilmurray .