A village has welcomed back barbers who were forced to leave their former shop.
Aman Tuku and his brother Samuel Ketema have reopened in London Road, Teynham, after more than a year away.
Together they had run Teynham Cutz for almost seven years at 65-67 London Road opposite Crispins Fish Bar.
However, they had to move out last April after a new landlord took over the premises and told him he “wanted four weeks to renovate the building and improve the facilities”.
But the building was converted into flats leaving customers frustrated over the loss of the only barbers in the village.
Aman told KentOnline in April that he couldn’t “wait to get back home” after being given lots of support from villagers who were travelling to his other shop - TMC Barbers in Canterbury Road, Sittingbourne.
The 32-year-old said he will continue to run the barbers next to Tesco Express while Samuel will run the new shop at 133 London Road, on the A2, next to Teynham Library.
The new shop is called TMC Barber – The Marathon Continues – and opened for the first time on Bank Holiday Monday, May 27.
Aman said: “It was a great day and we are so happy to be back home.
“We have received lots of love including gifts, flowers and cards from the village and I can’t thank them enough for their support.”
Two villagers who welcomed them back on the day were Peter and Jo Saward.
He said: “It was great to see the boys back in the village after such a long time of being away and being able to support them on their first-day trading in the new premises.”
The building was formally a shop called Flooring Gallery run by Comprehensive Coverings but it closed last month.
The company, run by Jason Howe, is still operating but is now solely online.
Aman says the site is larger than his old one and he will use the extra space to install sun beds.
Teynham Cutz’s former home has now been transformed into flats.
Work began last summer and an application for retrospective planning permission was lodged in February.
Retrospective planning permission is the granting of approval after works have started or been completed.
If an applicant is denied permission they may be told to reverse the changes that have been made.
Find out about planning applications that affect you at the Public Notice Portal.
The applicant, Jamie Tatler from The Accommodation Team South East Ltd, told KentOnline at the time: “We removed the barbershop because it had no amenity space fit for purpose.”
He added: “The barbers were not removed and replaced with a studio flat, it simply increased the size of the flat already there and the planning application submitted is for a change of use to remove the commercial element within the building and changes to the frontage of the building.
“I have had to reduce the number of units within the property due to the fact it was not safe or fit for purpose and whilst there will be plenty of people that will argue it has been there for years and there’s not been a problem I would rather be defending this decision than one where a fire had broke out and people’s lives were in danger or worse.”
Cllr Julien Speed (Cons), who represents Teynham and Lynsted at Swale council, told KentOnline previously that planning officers are now looking at the case.
He added: “It’s brilliant news to have them back in the barbers and the village has welcomed them back.
“People have been visiting to have their hair cut but also just popping in to say hello.
“They are immensely popular and people were really unhappy when they were effectively booted out.”
