Photo-a-Day  (Sunday, 19th December, 2021)

The one on from the Turkish barbers was a Westinghouse coin-op launderette from 1968, shortly after the parade of shops was built. I operated it on Sunday mornings, paid 13/6d.
I think the barbers was a sweet shop. Ken Cowap's betting shop at this end.
Aspull Moor Post Office opposite. I'm sure there was a cake shop too. Probably next to Ken Cowap's.
Thanks Dennis - you made my brain cells operate on a dark, damp Sunday morning!

I've never used a Turkish barber nor any barber for that matter since about 1990 . Not that I've let my hair grow long like Ben Gunn . Quite the contrary in fact . A set of clippers set at number 2 has saved me a fortune . However I do wonder how a Turkish barber may differ from the more traditional one .
I went to Cliff's on the High Street . Cliff had long retired and the shop was now run by his apprentice Stuart , but the old name had stuck.
Stuart liked a cig . At least one every customer , and the room was in a perpetual fog . There was never any formal queue . You sort of instinctively knew when it was your turn . Piles of old tatty magazines on coffee tables to help pass the time . Pictures of well groomed models on the wall like Tony Curtis grinned at you while you waited.
The sinks in Cliff's were never ever used . The level of shampoo in the bottles never went down . A bloke having his hair washed would have seemed bizarre .
Little mounds of hair of different colours would form at the back of the chair and were periodically swept into hills . And of course the chat .
Do Turkish barbers have the same level of knowledge to sustain a 5 minute conversation about the beer in The White Duck ?
Do they hold up the mirror to the back of your head . Do they brush your shoulders down at the end . Do they know your name ?
At £12 a go I'll stick with me clippers .

Not nearly enough shops for a 'village' the size of Aspull. No buses down Dicconson Lane either. You really do need a car to live here. It looks as if a couple of shops are closed. Unless there's others I don't know of.

Nice to see a row of shops in use

I seem to recall Mrs Fishwick moved her hairdressing business from their bungalow in Balcarres Avenue to this parade when it first opened.

Yes DAVE, correct re Cliff's, who also liked a cig. I went for my pow's to Cliff's from him opening to Stuart closing. My son who is 53 had his first barber shop experience there about 1971.
Ludbrook's barbers across from The Wheatsheaf was an experience, he liked a bet on the horses and would stop cutting someone's hair midstream and nip across to the pub to either put a bet on, watch the end of a race or just get the result, he was forever looking at his watch, checking the starting times etc. As Peter says it's good to see a row of shops open but as Veronica says it looks as if they are necessary, the 2 with the shutters down Veronica may only open at night. As a matter of interest, there are 3 Turkish barbers shops in Standish !!!

Gary, you may remember there was a CO-OP shop where the Village Store is now, it was the very first self service store in Aspull, they moved from Bolton Road. There was also a Newsagents shop, Joan Fishwick hairdresser had her business up the stairs on the first floor. I think the parade of shops were ready for opening middle to late 60s. To the right and before the first bungalow was a mine shaft that had been back filled, we played in it when we were kids. We lived opposite for a number of years, one night the alarm started to sound, I called the police and the bobby arrived in his Panda car. I was asked if I would look around the back whilst he stood lookout at the front. I'll give you just one guess at my answer !.

Looks a bit like it does on Google Street View.

In the 1950s we had a barber in the village who cut both boys' and girls' hair - we all came out of his shop looking the same. The boys had a basin cut and we had similar, but with a hair grip. He would put a plank across the chair's arms for the smaller children to sit on. I don't remember him using a brush, but he used to whistle tunelessly whilst cutting, causing quite a drought around the neck. We called him 'Captain' - apparently because he was always the last to leave The Ship on a Saturday night.

My dad learned how to cut hair when he was in the Army. I look like a new recruit in all my school photos. An army haircut, short pants and wellies was not a good look.
It wouldn’t have been so bad but his army training didn’t seem to include any instructions as to how to avoid inconvenient attachments such as ears and the various other lumps and bumps around the head. The result being that, in these delicate areas, bits of ear, skin and blood were removed along with the hair.
Still, he meant well…..I think!

My mate's wife has the salon opposite, Deanne's!

They charge a fortune these days for haircuts like that Dtease. They remind me of Turnip heads!

Walt - I do remember the Co op moving from Bolton Road (Lower Gullet) but the old one is far clearer n my memory. There was a distinct smell of cheese and, sometimes, of raw bacon, none of it unpleasant.
I recall you saying some time ago that you started work there. All the family on my mother's side used that shop.

Yes, and coming down through New Springs from Aspull, to Whelly, there are two more Turkish barbers, in Whelly.

Dtease, Ha Ha!! You are one funny guy. Loved your post. I hated going to school after my dad had worked on my head, the other kids gave me what for I can tell you. Today I self prune whenever I can, then wear a hat.

The co-op store is just round the corner at Haigh Road.