AN Oswestry barber is offering Advertizer readers the chance to benefit from his 10 years in business in the town.

Richard, 45, owns Rick's Barber Shop in Oswald Road, and will celebrate a decade on Tuesday, September 1.

Richard, who has been hairdressing on and off since he was 17, is offering any reader who arrives at the barbers with an appoitnment, and a copy of the article, a 10 per cent discount on their haircut.

He says the recent challenges created by Covid-19 have been tough but he wants people to take part in his 10 days of celebrations with prizes and goodies.

"We used to have a cafe but we shut it a few years ago," he said. "We decided to call it a day on that and considering what's happened since, we're happy to have made that decision.

"We opened up at the tail end of the 2008 recession so for the last nine-and-a-half years, it's been fabulous working within the community, getting to know people and building the business up.

"It's been nothing but a pleasure but then Covid happened. As soon as we had the guidance from the government, we were able to start putting in place all the measures to put in a Covid-secure environment as possible.

"For me, it's my responsibility to step up to the mark and be as efficient as possible which meant switching from a walk-in system to an appointment one.

"All that includes the PPE, the contract tracing and the extra cleaning, and to slow the business down. I used to do five heads an hour and now I'm doing two an hour.

"It's not just me, it's the whole business environment who's had to adjust. You've got to have a pragmatic approach to the customers to give them the reassurance and the security that they know I'm doing all I can to make it safe.

Richard insists his decade in business has been one to be proud of in a changing community.

He added: "I couldn't be happier than in last 10 years – I wouldn't have felt more part of the Oswestry community in the same way if it wasn't for this job.

"I'm very happy to part of that business community. We took what was a very difficult time with the cafe in the recession to building a new business up to where we are today.

"Highlights wise, with opening up to a break-in immediately, to have reached that decade is as successful as I could have hoped because we've sen the High Street and Oswestry change so much in that time.

"To celebrate that community we're in is what I'm most proud of."