“ Meet Our Members” Tracey Smith
Sweeney Todd Barbershop
The Old Butchers Shop
Lenham Square
Lenham
Kent
ME17 2PQ
Mobile 07734 950329 Shop 01622 880534
I had been a single parent and barber for 10 years when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I had to put my job on hold whilst I underwent Chemo and Radiation treatment. After I went back to work I had a new determination to fulfil a dream, so Sweeney Todd Barbershop was started by me on 18th June 2012, in a small Kent village. I started in a small room working alone, but soon needed help. At the beginning I had difficulty to find barbers who took great pride in their work But slowly good barbers joined my team and I have also trained barbers up (some from scratch, others from college) We work very hard to make our clients leave the shop feeling better about themselves with a professional haircut. Just over a year ago we moved to different premises which was formerly a Butchers shop (which is very apt for a salon named Sweeney Todds). Until recently we had a team of 4 full timers plus 2 part timers including myself, but unfortunately one has recently left because the work was too physically demanding
& another wants to get a mortgage requiring 3 years accounts as self employed barber he has returned to factory work to be on the cards. So if your looking for a job in Lenham Kent we have an opportunity. So it sucks sometimes having a business.
In January we also opened Mrs Todds Hairdressers in the same building and have a hairdresser and an apprentice working.
I am a proud member of British Master Barbers and have supported them from the very beginning. Tony Copeland phoned me out of the blue and offered me the opportunity to be part of the British Master Barbers 2018 Calendar photo shoot team which was a massive achievement for me. The calendar featured youth styles,fashions & cultures & my subject for the month of October was Punk. This was one of the best days in my barbering career boosting my confidence & creativity. Being a BMB member is fantastic, it is like an extended family where you know everyone and it is definitely the most social and friendliest show out there.
I did get registered a few years ago now with the hairdressing and barbering council, but am losing faith in it abit to be honest at the moment, a barber (and I say the word loosely) set up locally to me which is fine but the person did a 9 week course at a well known school of barbering this year and afterwards set up a shop.
The best bit about being a barber in a village is that everyone knows you, and you get a real sense of belonging.
We raise money every year for a charity, and so far we have raised nearly £15,000 in total my best bit of equipment is a hard question really as I like everything but I would say the most important is the comb, as that is a very personal piece of equipment and in my opinion the most important.
Looking forward to what next year brings as life and being a barber is a rollercoaster, luckily though more ups than downs.
Tracey Smith xx
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