Barber fulfils dream of 34 years by opening hometown shop

Jane Berry has dreamed of opening a shop on 16 Church Street since she was a teenager (Image: Abigail Nicholson)

Jane Berry, who lives in Beetley, opened her Dereham shop, Church Street Barbers, for the first time on Christmas Eve but was forced to lock up early as the government announced another national lockdown.

Dereham-is-bustling-as-lockdown-eases (1)

The 52-year-old, who already rents a chair in a Norwich barbers, was left "devastated" and "frustrated" when she had to wait for a further three and a half months to open her doors again.

The shop has a small waiting area and is lined with shaving mugs collected by her father over the last 34 years (Image: Abigail Nicholson)

"We took on the shop at the end of November and my husband painted it ready to open on Christmas Eve, then they shut us all down," she said. "Today (April 12) is our proper first day and we have been mad.

"I've had two customers who usually go to the Norwich store come over here today which was nice, it is just great to be back home."

Mrs Berry began training to become a barber at 18 and used to work at Hair Now at its former Cowper Road location before taking her career into Norwich and joining Gavin Doe Barbers in Catton.

Jane Berry, who lives in Beetley, opened her Dereham shop Church Street Barbers (Image: Abigail Nicholson)

But when she was a teenager she had always dreamed of having a shop at 16 Church Street.

"I always told my dad that I would have this shop and run it as a barbershop one day," she said.

Jane Berry has dreamed of opening a shop on Church Street since she was a teenager (Image: Abigail Nicholson)

"Whenever it came up for rent it was always the wrong time or something was happening which meant it wouldn't have quite worked, but when I saw it last year I met with the landlord and signed on the same day.

"It's brilliant to have come full circle and be back home."

The shop has a retro barbering chair complete with an armrest ashtray (Image: Abigail Nicholson)

The shop is only small and boasts a retro barbering chair, complete with an armrest ashtray, a small waiting area, and a minibar.

On the shelves is a large collection of shaving mugs which Mrs Berry's father collected for her when she started training.

Jane Berry cutting her fathers hair in her new shop on Church Street, Dereham (Image: Abigail Nicholson)

She said: "When I first started barbering my dad collected all the shaving mugs and memorabilia for me ready for this day.

"As soon as I opened the shop they came down from the loft - he 's so proud."