The Lancashire town of Accrington is currently under close examination after it was revealed that there are 36 Turkish barbers and 14 vape shops operating within the local area. With a male population of approximately 13,000, this concentration of businesses has raised questions about their sustainability and concerns over possible illegal activities.
Trading Standards officers have reported difficulties when attempting to conduct inspections, citing intimidation tactics. These challenges have heightened alarms about the potential use of some establishments for organised crime purposes.
Industry calculations indicate that each barber would need to perform at least 10 haircuts daily to maintain viable operations. However, based on the town’s population and typical customer flow, it is estimated that each shop receives only about three visits per day. This discrepancy suggests a significant financial shortfall, estimated at around £2.62 million annually across all the barbers in Accrington.
Authorities and analysts suspect that some of these high-density shops may be operating as fronts for money laundering and other illicit activities. Reports have detailed incidents where Trading Standards officers faced hostility, including being spat at and locked inside premises during inspections, further raising concerns about unlawful operations.
The dominance of barbers, vape shops, phone repair outlets, discount stores, and betting shops has led to the displacement of traditional retail businesses such as clothing and shoe stores in Accrington’s town centre. This trend reflects similar changes seen in other UK towns and impacts local shopping diversity as well as the community character.
In response to these issues, the UK government has launched a £30 million High Street Organised Crime Unit. This unit aims to investigate suspicious businesses nationwide, including barbershops and vape outlets suspected of involvement in criminal activity. The success of this initiative will be closely monitored in towns like Accrington.
Originally published by UKNIP.
