Hairy situations: The bald facts

The barber's mental health advice might be a cut above the barman's but let's not split ends about men's suffering in this regard

- Christian Stephen

In breaking news it has been revealed that barbers in a town in Wiltshire in the UK will be trained "to talk to customers about their well-being in a bid to improve men's mental health".

A spokesperson for the Swindon borough council said that the initiative would help men and boys "feel comfortable opening up about their emotional well-being" while getting their hair cut.

It used to be that men opened up about these matters while getting a drink at their local pub and complaining about their troubles to the long-suffering bartender.

Unlike the Swindon barbers these people have no formal training, so the advice was likely to be, "No worries, mate, have another double Bell's with a beer chaser and you will feel better."

The main problem with the alcohol consumption solution is there are good drunks and there are bad drunks. The "good" drunks drape their arms over your shoulders, talk loudly and laugh excessively at the lame jokes they keep repeating.

The "bad" drunks also talk loudly but they become aggressive and argumentative, which often leads to fighting. And their behaviour, when they eventually stagger home, means they add to the shocking statistics of gender-based violence in South Africa.

So, some emotional well-being advice from a friendly barber does sound like a good idea.