All I want for Christmas is a suspended haircut

Luigi Caterino, the owner of the award-winning Italian Job Barber shop in Galashiels, says he tries to help those less fortunate at this time of year.

He told The Southern: “Like every year at Christmas, we try to bring an initiative to help those less fortunate.

And, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic, there are those who have not yet recovered economically.

So, this year, we launch the ‘taglio do capelli sospeso’ … the suspended haircut.

"It’s a paid service by a customer who can afford a little extra from his wallet.

"It is completely up to the customer how much they would like to give, and we will pass the service on free for any less fortunate person.

"At Christmas, no-one should feel sad and less fortunate than anyone else.

"We will have a blackboard outside the shop with all the haircuts pending, and all you have to do is go in and ask for the free service, we will not ask you for anything, just offer a huge smile in wishing you a Merry Christmas.

"We have started to take donations for the suspended haircut … just ask about it in the shop.”

Luigi, who was crowned Best Barber in Scotland in both 2014 and 2015, and took the best wet shave in Britain crown several times, also hit the headlines when he became the official barber to his favourite Scottish football team, Rangers FC.

His previous charitable acts at Christmas included providing haircuts for homeless people in Edinburgh in 2019.