A Fort William man who gave up barbering during Covid has reopened his business Ben Nevis Barber after being unable to go anywhere without being asked to cut hair.
Neil McNeill, who found a new career on the roads after Covid struck, said it was good to be back – but the best thing was being his own boss.
Neil has reopened Ben Nevis Barbers inside Luxe HandB hairdressers at 5 Ben Nevis Way in Claggan last Monday.
He praises Caitlyn for supporting him, and getting him organised to get back to working at Luxe H+B for himself.
Neil said: “When I gave up the shop before I had had enough especially as it was during Covid and there was no work.
“I went to do many other jobs, including working on the roads.
‘People kept asking me to go back to barbering’
“But people just kept asking me to cut their hair.
“There were even some people that I continued to cut because they would not go elsewhere.
“I DJ part-time, and I couldn’t even do a gig without at least one person asking me when I would get back to barbering.
“My friend Caitlyn Daly from Luxe encouraged me.
“So I gave in last week, and put up a post that said I was restarting. I didn’t advertise it, I didn’t say to anyone – but when I woke up the following morning I had 227 followers.
“Listening to people’s stories every single day, you get to know people, and now I am cutting hair for the children of the children that I first cut their hair.”
Over the 20 years of appointments that he kept with customers, he has worked in Fort William at McLennan’s – where he trained – Middle Street and Stag and Buck – but now he is running his own shop and importantly for Neil, his own hours.
‘Take a day for fishing’
“I would encourage anyone that wants to work for themselves to do it,” he said. Now that I am back to working for myself I can get the work/life balance right.
“So, today for instance – Wednesday – I am going to be closed and take a day fishing on River Lochy.
“I could not have done this in any of my other jobs.”
While he has only been open since Monday, Neil said what people want has not changed much.
He said: “People want to be treated well, remembered and have a decent haircut.
“It is good to be back. I seem to have the same customers that I had before Covid, so it is good. I’ve got a lot of stories to catch up on.”
