ONE of Colchester’s longest serving barbers is retiring after a career spanning almost five decades.

Rodney Southgate, 71, is handing over the reins of Rodney’s Barbers in Church Walk, the business he has run for 47 years.

Mr Southgate, of West Bergholt, said the industry has changed drastically since her started.

He said: “The styles have completely changed and almost gone back to what they were.

“Years ago it was short back and sides with a big quiff on top and it’s become quite common with youngsters again.

“Beards are coming back as well. The wet shave petered out quite a few years ago but it is coming back again.”

Mr Southgate was trained at Welhams in St Botolphs Street, by Mr Welham himself.

He opened his first shop with business partner Paul Abbott in the upstairs of a building in High Street, opposite Williams and Griffin. They stayed there for about five years before moving to the top of Queen Street, next to the old tourist information centre.

They then took over a second shop in Church Street and ran the two businesses before combining them and leaving the Queen Street site.

Mr Southgate retired earlier this month but he is not ready to step away from the industry completely, and will still be working in the shop on Saturday. He has a number of regular clients, some of whom have been coming to him since he started in 1959.

He said: “I’ve got so many customers who I know personally very well, and who have become friends.

“When you’ve been in the business as long as I have, you get to know a lot of people.”

Georgina Webb, who has worked at the shop for about five years, has taken it over.

Mr Southgate, who has four children and five grandchildren, used to run a barbering school.

He hopes to run one-day seminars to keep him busy in his retirement.