Mrs Sarah

To the city centre after work, to have my hair cut. Met J subsequently, we went for tapas. A bit of wind down after a busy - and tiring - week. The place was very busy at first - lots of people in town this week to see Take That at the Arena (“welcome home Gary, Howard and Mark” said the sign).

Our table had an interesting view into a barbers, a total contrast to the hairdressers I had gone to. It advertises itself as for “gentlemen and scoundrels”, and is seemingly aimed at young men who go for the very close cropped look, often with beards and moustaches trimmed as part of the package (tattoos part of the same fashion statement for some). Barbers like this are now seen everywhere, although not my style at all. But then I am not a fashion conscious young man.

Mr Thomas’s Chophouse On Cross Street was renamed for International Women’s Day on March 8th. Thomas, after whom it is named, ran it for 8 years, and then fell ill. Sarah, his wife, then took up the reins and ran it for 21 years. And then their daughter - another Sarah - ran it for another 4 years up to 1901. It’s a historic place, some will be annoyed at the renaming, others will think it right that those who did most of the work should be recognised.