ONE of Chippenham’s oldest hair salons has been given a makeover, after being transformed into a retro barber shop.

Wil Hodgson has taken over the running of Cut N Curl from his mum, Jane Harris, who set up the salon on The Causeway in the late 1960s.

The 37-year-old has now reopened the salon as a retro style traditional barber shop called Hepcats.

“She’s very happy that I’m taking over as she’s planning to retire soon,” said Mr Hodgson, who has opened the barber shop alongside his fiancée, Sarah Winston.

“I’ve been a stand-up comedian for the last 16 years and I felt like I wanted a bit of a change because when you’re doing comedy you tend to exist in a bubble.

“I missed interacting with people so I thought about various jobs I could do and thought about taking over from my mum, so I studied at the Sid Sottung Barber Academy in Nottingham last year.

“I think there’s things that comedy and being a barber have in common, they’re very usable skills and it’s just nice to interact with people.”

Mr Hodgson’s mum still continues to operate the hair salon at the rear of the shop for her regular customers with a full transition expected later this year.

“It was quiet to start with but Saturdays have been busy and people have come some distances to be here.

“The retro thing is quite important here, we do wet shaves and have vintage aftershaves and I try and encompass doing a shop I would like to go to myself,” added Mr Hodgson.

“It’s alternative but more inclusive and we have a record deck and encourage people to bring their own vinyl. I’m just trying to bring fun into salons.”