Revival Chic: The Goodwood Barber is open for business

Haircut sir? The Goodwood Barber kicked off the first Friday of Revival in style today – and with no shortage of customers wanting a period barnet to match the period dress. 

‘The most popular is a short back and sides, but we also do a few flattops,’ said one of the three barbers on duty, Simon Ryan.

The cost? Alas not 2/6 as it might have been in 1966 but a more modern £15.

Someone who knew exactly the cut they wanted was Simon Calley. Every year for the past eight years he has treated himself to a mohican: ‘A number four on top and cut to the bone on sides,’ as he explained it.

But isn’t a mohican a bit too modern for Revival?

‘Not a bit of it,’ Simon told us. ‘I have researched this and found photographs of US servicemen having a mohican haircut just before going out on D-Day. US servicemen had mohicans during Vietnam as well.’

Simon, who was dressed up a member of the 82nd Airborne, added: ‘It’s the only time in the year I have a mohican.’ What do they say when you go in for work on Monday morning? ‘I work for myself so it doesn’t matter.’

‘We are always busy at Revival,’ said Ceri Spenner who with his brother Edwin and Simon Ryan make up the threesome behind the Goodwood Barber, located just by the Freddie March Spirit of Aviation exhibition.

‘The sun is shining, everyone’s dressed up and what better way to start the weekend than with a smart new haircut? We have been doing this at Revival for the past 11 years now and it just gets busier and busier.’

One who agreed with that was Tony Raine from Teesside. ‘I saw the barber last year and promised myself I’d treat myself to a haircut this year and now here I am,’ he told us.

There was disappointment in store for Tony, and his wife Lynne, however: the cut throat shave he had also promised himself was off the menu.

Blame health and safety regs!