Albert hangs up his clippers

Albert has decided to hang up his clippers after almost 50 years of trading from his barbers shop in Eversley Road.

After receiving an offer on the 'The Eversley' Albert is now planning his retirement.

Much to his delight, the new owners will be keeping the building as a hairdressers.

Albert said: "Simply I want to retire. I want to play a bit more golf and my wife and I can have some more time to ourselves. Most of our friends have retired now and the time is just right. I am still fit so I want to enjoy it.

"It is something I have been thinking about for a while, but it was important to me it stayed as a hairdressers and wasn't knocked down for flats. These two nice guys who are buying the business off me want to keep it. My loyal customers, who have been faithful for years, can come back here."

Albert moved to the area from his native Newcastle in the mid - fifties as part of his national service in the RAF. He soon met his wife Ellen, a Bexhill girl, and started working as a barber in the town shortly after completing his time in the forces.

He said: "People said I would never last down here, that I should be on a main street. I wanted a side street where people could park and I could have a small shop with small overheads. As it has been here fifty years it can't be a bad pitch can it?

"When I first came here you had all the old barbers in the town from the army and all they knew was short back and sides. I went in at 3s.6d a haircut when they charged two bob. I figured I wanted a decent pension! When they realised I was still here they started doing the same. They were great guys though and just said they were of their time.

"We had the Beatles cut, where people wanted long hair, and all sorts. It comes around though. The kids nowadays ask for a 'number one' at the back - that's really a short back and sides.

"There have been changes, but then some things haven't changed at all."

Regular customers will be aware of one of Albert's favourite stories involving him cutting the hair of famous actress Shirley MacLaine.

"She said she wanted her fringe cut but none of the female places could do it because she didn't have an appointment," he said. "She was taking part in a mum's race at a school I think. She was fantastic looking and had this gorgeous red hair and all the men in the place just went ga-ga.

"When she is on TV, although she is much older now, I always tell my wife I cut her fringe for her. Then she reminds me it was a long time ago.

"I also used to cut Q - Desmond Llewelyn's - hair for him. Sometimes I would visit him at home and do it. He would tell me he had a movie coming up so he needed it a certain way."

Albert says he will miss 'the banter' with his customers and other traders most of all.

"That will be my biggest miss," he said. "I have loved meeting so many people and cutting their hair. I still get people coming here who came to me when I first opened. I have had a really happy time."