Independent businesses - The Cavalier Club Barber Shop

I've been noticing them for a few months now. Every other week or so, another will pop up, sometimes with great fanfare, loudly announcing their arrival, others more subtly, gently easing their presence into the consciousness of the general public.

I'm talking about brand-sparkly new, independent businesses of all shapes and sizes. A conversation I had with a friend a few days ago highlighted just how many seem to have appeared in Bedford alone in the last few months. It appears there is an underground movement to turn this little town into a suave, wine-bar toting, cocktail shaking, trendy little coffee-house wielding hub. And so far, so good.

The new businesses aren't reserved purely for the restaurant/bar market (although there are plenty and I am having a whale of a time making my way around them all). Independent clothes shops, ice-cream parlours, art supplies are all cropping up. One of Bedford's latest additions is The Cavalier Club, the barber shop to end all others. Run by sisters Siobhan and Emma Richardson, and found in Bedford town centre, The Cavalier Club oozes style, from it's studded leather sofas, mounted (faux) deer head, to the brick-work designed back wall to the girls themselves. Offering a welcoming atmosphere, the sisters obviously know their stuff, making every chap who takes a seat in front of them feel relaxed and well looked after. I should know, I live with one of their new biggest fans!

They even threw a Christmas bash for customers, laying on food and a tipple for everyone that crossed their threshold. Furthering their rep for being good-hearted, they recently held a charity raffle in aid of raising money for the local homeless. 

Us girls are blessed with a wealth of pampering options, but it's a rarity to find somewhere offering our male counterparts quite the same experience. The Cavalier Club manages to do this with the right balance of pamper and masculinity. The boys I know who have visited have loved their new styles, which are always wearable but entirely fresh and stylish. I also hear that the hot towel shave is to die for. Having taken root on the sofa whilst my other half gets himself styled, I have been treated just as warmly as their patrons, always included in conversation and offered a drink. The girls are warm, friendly and hilarious, ensuring that all that enter enjoy their time in the shop. They offer a real, human touch, showing interest in their customers and wanting to share their time with you. And I cannot stress just how good the boys are looking when they leave!

No animals were harmed in the making of this (festive) wall mount.

Boys, if you are looking for a change, a new style, or a simple freshen up, visit the Cavalier Club. If you can't take my word for it, check out the reviews on their Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/Cavalier-Club-Barber-Shop-1637010603235244/. And to the lovely girls running it, you're doing an amazing job, well done!