A HIGHLY experienced barber has bitten the bullet and opened her own salon stall in Barrow Market Hall.

61 year old, Pauline Muir from Walney, Barrow has opened up her own barbers in Barrow Market, called ‘Peaky Barbers’.

Pauline who has over 45 years of experience in the industry is well known in the community having started her career at 18 years old training at Furness Salon before moving to Ken Riley’s located on Crellin Street for five years until she was the owner of various hair dressers including Excel and Heatwave in Dalton.

Pauline said: “I came round the market and had a look at the vacant stalls and it just felt right for me to open my own barbers here. I’ve thought about it in the past but not really seriously until now.

“It was just a decision I made there and then, I saw the stall, enquired and got it all whipped into shape in just 10 days. The time was just right.”

Pauline got the name ‘Peaky Barbers’ as she is a flat top specialist and the most popular hair cut she is asked to do is a peaky blinders style.

She said: “I chose the name last. I originally wanted to call it the ‘Peaky Blinders’ but for advertising rights I couldn't so rather than mess around I changed it to the Peaky Barbers and everyone walks past and goes ‘the Peaky Barbers, do you get it?’ and it just puts a smile on their faces.

“The style and theme of the stall just evolved, I just saw inspiration through pages on the internet and then that’s when I started putting two and two together, it wasn’t planned with the panels but they just worked, the same with the unique flooring.”

Pauline also worked onboard various cruise ships when she was in her 20’s, travelling the Mediterranean, Miami, Norway and more cutting people’s hair while a float.

She said: “I wanted to work on a ship permanently, I just wanted to explore and get some experience.

“I did it for three years on five different ships but after that I got home sick and wanted to come back.

“It’s not the life you can do forever, it’s fun but not a permanent life.”

You can visit Pauline in Barrow Market on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.