A fleet of mobile barbershops has landed in Greater Manchester, offering haircuts, beard trims and a safe space to talk about mental health.
TRIM-IT is the UK’s first app-powered mobile barbershop service, and after first launching in London has now made its way up north, partnering with a network of local barbers.
You can order a barber to your home, office or even the gym using the app or the website, with a fully heated barbershop-on-wheels coming straight to you.
Each one-on-one experience, with a barber of your choice, includes a full service and complimentary product, depending on stock.
TRIM-IT’s barbers are offered mental health training
As well as helping local barbers to build their own businesses, TRIM-IT has partnered with men’s personal care brand Harry’s, who stock the mobile barbershops with products and connect TRIM-IT with Shout, a support service that provides mental health training to the barbers.
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It means that you can get a fresh trim, wherever you are in Manchester, as well as a space where you can open up.
Richard, one of TRIM-IT’s barber partners, said: “Manchester being my home and birthplace, knowing how amazing Mancs are as people, I knew they would love this concept and embrace it so much.
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TRIM-IT has built a network of barbers in Manchester
“Barbering is such an amazing service – to give one person a service where they can relax, take the stresses of day to day life off their shoulders.
“Get to the end and they almost become a different person with a smile on their face, feel great about themselves and to just be able to cheer someone up or just give them a good conversation.
“Giving something back has been something that I wanted to do and have done in the past in terms of trying to give back a little bit, especially around this time of year because I know a lot of lads do struggle.
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Each of the mobile barbershops is fully heated.
“Personally, I went through some difficulties when I left the military myself, I really struggled with a lot of things, so basically when I moved back to Salford the Royal British Legion helped me out quite a lot and did quite a lot for me so being in a position where I can give back now is a big thing.”
Another barber partner, Abdul, said: “It’s not just a barbershop, it’s a place I like to make people feel safe, comfortable and relaxed.
“I’ve always found speaking to a stranger about mental health is easier than a family member.
“I’m all ears and my barber van door is alway open for those struggling to speak out.”
Christmas can be a difficult time of the year for many people – Shout is a 24/7 text message support service where you can talk to a trained volunteer.
Text ‘MATE’ to 85258 to start a conversation.
And if you want to speak to your barber from the convenience of a mobile barbershop, you can book an appointment through booking.trimit.app.
Featured image: TRIM-IT
Style
Drama Call opening first-ever flagship shop in Manchester
Danny Jones
Streetwear superstars Drama Call are opening their new flagship store and first-ever permanent site in Manchester city centre this weekend.
Expect massive queues and lots turning up wearing the increasingly recognisable starry logo.
Already a much-loved brand not just here in 0161 but across the nation at large, the native independent business turned street-style favourites and UK fashion phenomenon are no strangers to HUGE pop-ups in their hometown.
However, they’ve never had a mainstay location anywhere in the country, let alone Greater Manchester – well, until now, that is…
Credit: Press shots (supplied)
Debuting in the Northern Quarter this Sunday, the venue located on Tib Street will effectively serve as Drama Call‘s new HQ.
The local label has done everything from popping up vans with Manc rapper Aitch to collaborating with Man United for multiple limited edition collections, so it only felt like a matter of time before they’d make a big brick-and-mortar splash in our fair city.
Most notably, they’re also taking over the same unit as the Sheep Shop, a former skate shop and legendary urban clothing tastemaker of the 90s; they were one of the first places in Britain to stock famous names like Stüssy, Supreme, Carhartt, The North Face and many more.
With that in mind, it feels only fitting that they carry on the trendsetting tradition from the same premises, and just spitting distance from the likes of Note, as well.
And that’s not all, either: before the full launch, they’ll also be holding an exclusive cash-only shirt swap event, where a limited number of certain collector’s items will be sold for as little as £10.
Other things to note are the additions of signed vinyls by homegrown artists such as the aforementioned Aitch and even The Smiths.
In fact, the store will also feature strictly Mancunian exclusives, too.
Everything from polo shirts and tees to branded mugs, matchboxes and other accessories will be available in-store only.
NQ is bound to be buzzing across launch weekend, with doors officially opening to the public on Sunday, and we wouldn’t be surprised if you see people camping outside the front well ahead of time.
What a moment the Manc shopping scene is having right now.
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied via Pear)
Style
Keo play Projekts: garage and grunge revivalists crush Manchester skatepark for new music video
Danny Jones
This past Thursday evening, fast-rising rock band Keo took over Projekts MCR skatepark for a special pop-up gig and to film a brand-new music video for their latest single, ‘Pistol’, starring some of their biggest fans here in Manchester.
In fact, it didn’t take long for us to suss out that plenty of them had flocked from far and wide to be there, and let’s say we’re sure they’ll say it was worth the journey.
We caught Keo’s well-attended festival set inside the Woodlands at Kendal Calling 2025, not to mention their completely sold-out show at the O2 Ritz back in March – their biggest headline date up to that point – and we’re more certain than ever that they’re going to be absolutely massive.
And if they keep up doing more memorable stuff like this, it’s just a matter of how soon…
Packing out Projekts to the point that people were literally hanging off fences and standing on electrical boxes at the side of the street to try and get a peek at the post-punk, grunge and garage rockers, some of their most enthusiastic young fans had been waiting outside the location as early as noon.
For context, doors opened six hours later, and the boys didn’t come on until 7:30pm.
Those who signed up to Keo‘s mailing list were sent information regarding securing a spot at the one-off performance earlier this month.
While you would have seen the place fill up even if they were just standard concert tickets, the fact that the band were taping the whole thing to use as the visuals for their newest single, as mentioned, meant that Keo’s avid followers were literally clamouring AND clambering to get the best view position possible.
Turning the popular skaters’ hub’s central bowl into a makeshift stage, with lights, camera, booms and various crew surrounding the entire venue, it was a surreal experience to say the least.
And, of course, they were absolutely brilliant – just as they were at the Ritz at the start of the year and Kendal before that, playing a short but sweet set that left everyone wanting more and choruses of punters chanting Keo long after the final song.
We can’t wait to see how the video itself turns out, especially seeing how much the people who wrapped around them and the skatepark were lost in the moment, and we’re also looking forward to them headlining Neighbourhood Fest in Manchester city centre this October.
You can grab a ticket to see them and the rest of the NBHD lineup right HERE, but until then, give the full studio version of ‘Pistol’ a play and get ready for their debut album.
The Manc -
20th December 2021 
