Launceston pub-goers could soon be offered new hairstyles with their beers if plans to put a barbershop inside The Irish hotel get the green light.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Local barber Jack Kinslow has sought City of Launceston council approval to set up shop in the pub.
Mr Kinslow approached publican Ben McKenzie with the idea after he recently finished a stint at Al's Barber Shop.
"I just thought it was a fun idea and I consider Ben a friend of mine so it was an easy approach," Mr Kinslow said. "It's not my first time working for myself but it's my first time opening a shop."
An apprentice will work alongside Mr Kinslow if council approves the development.
"I'm taking a crack at passing on the trade," Mr Kinslow said. "I'm still unsure on what hours I'm gonna work, I'm definitely not open Sunday, but late Friday's and Saturday arvos for sure."
Mr McKenzie said the barbershop could be the first of its kind in Launceston.
"I know there's a couple of barbers that give you a beer, but there's no pubs I believe that have got a barber in the corner," he said.
"It'll be in the left hand side as you walk in. It used to be a dead area, there was an old bar there which we removed.
"We put a couple of pool tables in there and there was still this empty space in the corner."
With some walls taken out and space cleared, Mr McKenzie said the barbershop would fit in nicely.
"If we didn't put in the barber we were going to put in another pool table," he said.
"We did have the idea of a coffee shop which would have been open on the street, but I think this is a good idea.
"It just gives us another string to the bow sort of thing."
Mr McKenzie said he hoped customers would welcome the opportunity to "have a beer after work, get a haircut and maybe kick on for dinner and watch some live music as well".
"I don't think RSA (responsible service of alcohol) extends to responsible provision of haircuts so if people have a couple of beers and then decide they're gonna go get a haircut well that's on them," he said.
Council staff will decide if the barbershop application is approved after a public consultation period ends on August 26.