“A whopping 13 barbershops and salons are packed into just 500 yards of this tiny town centre — and now, a 14th is on the way.”
Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow? Locals Push Back as 14th Barbershop Planned for Small Welsh Town
Plans to open a 14th barbershop in the small Welsh town of Porth have stirred up fresh frustration among locals, who say the town is already flooded with hair salons.
The new proposal, submitted for a unit in Porth, Rhondda Cynon Taf, has sparked concerns that the high street is becoming overrun with barbershops — with the existing 13 already squeezed into just a 500-yard stretch of the town centre.
The Porth and District Chamber of Trade has formally objected to the application, warning it could be “detrimental” to the local economy. Speaking to Wales Online, Vice-Chairman Dan Parry said businesses are worried there’s simply not enough demand to sustain yet another barbershop in such a small area.
“People are genuinely concerned,” Parry said. “There’s just not enough heads to go around.”
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Some business owners fear that approving the new barbershop could actually drive shoppers away, giving Porth a reputation for being oversaturated with hair salons rather than offering variety.
A survey conducted by the Porth and District Chamber of Trade last year revealed that many locals already felt the town had too many fast-food takeaways, beauty parlours, and barbershops clogging up the high street.
Chamber Vice-Chairman Dan Parry warned that adding yet another barbershop would only make matters worse — potentially damaging the town’s image and making it harder for both new ventures and long-established businesses to survive.
“It’s not just about competition,” Parry said. “It’s about how the town is perceived. If we’re seen as a one-trick pony, we’ll lose shoppers who are looking for more than just a haircut.”
Dan Parry, Vice-Chairman of the Porth and District Chamber of Trade, said concerns are mounting — not just from shop owners, but from barbers and hairdressers themselves.
“A lot of our members are in the hair and beauty industry, and they’ve approached us directly about this application,” he explained. “They’re saying there simply isn’t enough clientele to go around. It might look like just one shop, but many of these businesses house multiple barbers or stylists — it’s more crowded than it seems.”
He added: “In a town of just 6,000 people, having 13 businesses already offering men’s haircuts just isn’t sustainable. Opening another would only add more strain.”
In a formal objection letter, the Chamber made their stance clear: “This application is detrimental to Porth town centre and should be refused.”
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The Chamber added that green-lighting yet another barbershop in a town already “saturated” with similar businesses would bring no clear benefits — and could actually do harm.
Their objections include the added strain it would place on existing salons, the erosion of high street variety, a clash with the local council’s own development goals, and a move that runs “clearly” against public opinion.
Many locals told WalesOnline that Porth is already overwhelmed by barbershops, with one resident saying the situation is “getting beyond a joke.”
Across the UK, the number of barbershops on high streets has grown sharply in recent years. As more consumers shift to online shopping, traditional retail spaces once occupied by banks, building societies, and other shops have been left empty — often replaced by barbers. The boom in male grooming trends has only added to the surge in new barber businesses.
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