Town 'saturated' with barbers to get 14th shop

PLANS to turn a Valleys town centre amusement arcade into a barber shop have been approved despite concern over the number of barber shops that are already in the town.

- ANTHONY LEWIS Local Democracy Reporter

The plan to turn the ground floor of a property in Hannah Street in Porth from an amusement arcade to a barber shop was approved by Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT)'s planning committee on May 1, but those who objected to the application said there were already 13 barber shops in Porth.

The property has historically operated as an amusement arcade although appeared empty at the time of site visit, the planning report said.

It said that there were a variety of business premises within the general area, many of which had residential flats on the upper floors.

Local councillor Ros Davis had called for the matter to go before the planning committee so members could consider the full scope of the proposal.

Thirty-four separate letters of objection had been received from local residents and the Porth and District Chamber of Trade following consultation.

They said another barber shop would lead to an over-saturation of barber shops just like all the existing hairdressers, nail bars and vape shops.

The objectors said that to sustain Porth as a viable retail hub, it was essential to promote better and more sustainable retail options and that if another barbers opened and took custom away from existing barbers surely they would just end up with more empty units.