Barber shop opens at STACK Worswick Chambers
Vinod Jaidka, who ran Oliverβs Newsagents on Newcastleβs Pilgrim Street until its closure during the Covid-19 lockdown, returned to the site for the launch of Patrick Forster Barber and Shop at STACK at Worswick Chambers on Thursday, February 12.
Mr Jaidka said: “It was always such a lovely community and we had a real rapport with everyone.
“Relationships were built there and we watched whole families grow up.
“Iβm delighted the building has been given a new lease of life and I wish Patrick as many happy years here as we enjoyed.”
Oliverβs Newsagents had served the community since 1969, remaining open through multiple large-scale city centre redevelopments until its closure.
The new barber shop marks the second location for Patrick Forster, who has operated a barber shop on High Bridge for 14 years.
He said: “We are very much a traditional barber shop and at our new site we will be expanding our service to include wet shaving, trims and beard sculpting and are offering an online booking service.”
Mr Forster invited Mr Jaidka to open the new shop as a long-time customer and a familiar face in the cityβs retail community.
He said: “he is just such a lovely man and so inextricably linked with city centre retail that it was only fitting he should be our VIP guest.”
The new barber shop opens onto Pilgrim Street and will be open to customers Monday to Saturday, from 10am to 7pm.
The flagship development at Worswick Chambers, Pilgrim Street is the largest STACK to date, with three floors featuring eight bars and eight independent street food units, an outside plaza with a stage and interactive gaming at Sideshow.
Gemma Dishman, STACKβs Project Development Director, said: “Patrick Forster Barber and Shop is exactly the calibre of business we hoped to attract to STACK and we have no doubt it will become as loved by its customers as Oliverβs Newsagents was.”
Patrick Forster Barber and Shop is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 7pm.