St Leonards hairdresser's shop closing after 78 years of trading

Shaws, in Norman Road, opened in 1945 and has been run by Michael Shaw and his family for the last 64 years.

He said: “In 1945 my father and my brother came down from Tunbridge Wells. They had a hairdresser’s there and my father wanted to see what it was like to come to Hastings. My brother climbed into the window of the shop because there was bomb damage and my father liked the site so he bought the place.

“When my brother was 15 he came into the shop to work with my dad and when I was 15, I did and have been here ever since right up to now. It’s now 64 years since I’ve been here.

“Our wives joined us and they have been lovely, helping us in the ladies’ hairdressing side. We have been very, very lucky.

“I have not had enough because I will be doing a few more haircuts outside of the shop.”

Michael added that it was ‘very emotional’ for him retiring after almost 65 years.

Rodney Green, 88, who was the first customer in 1945 to visit Shaws when he was 10 years old, came to wish Michael and his family all the best.