by Jan Collier

It is with mixed feelings that local barber Mark Adams will shut up shop after 20 years, at the end of July. Mark, a qualified traditional barber, worked alone when he first opened Hair For Man & Boy in the Market Square. It wasn’t long before men and boys were queuing for his services and he later needed more barbers.

Prior to Lockdown, the highly respected barber was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma, cancer of the immune system, and underwent a six-month course of chemo. ‘It was a very emotional time but with the support of family, friends and customers, I stayed positive and made a good recovery’ he says.

Some of the ‘Lockdown haircuts’ made him and his customers laugh, as wives, partners and mums all had a go at cutting hair. ‘There were bald patches, clumps missing, all kinds of badly shorn heads,’ he remembers.

A great supporter of local charities, Mark feels sad to be saying goodbye to his friends in Epsom and his loyal customers, some of whom, like one 21 year old, have been to Mark since childhood.

Ranging in age from babies to a local centenarian, customer comments include ‘I’m devastated’, ‘Where will I take my little boys now?’ ‘I’m losing a friend as well as a very good barber’. Mark says after working 10-12 hour days every week, it’s time for a change.

‘I don’t want to disappear without a goodbye to my customers, so I’m hoping they will drop in before I hang up my scissors at the end of July.’  

The 55 year old adds

‘I need time to relax, see family and friends and hope to reduce my golf handicap too!’