Old School Barbers Are Back in Fashion – And Leeds is Full of ‘Em

Old school barbers can be found all over Leeds, offering gents a cool grooming experience that takes its inspiration from the past…

It’s not just the latest hair trends that take their cue from the good old days – the salons and barbers of Leeds are dipping into the past too. They’ve upped their game to give the city’s stylish fellas a more refined, sociable experience that will keep you coming back for trim after trim. Whether you fancy a fade, need a short back and sides or want to treat yourself to a traditional wet shave, you’ll be well looked after…

King Koby

King Koby is less of a hairdressers and more of a Leeds social club where you get your hair cut. The barbers who work here are all friends – and that makes it a different kind of experience with an atmosphere that’s both boisterous and down to earth. Their shop itself is smart, with long benches, tiled walls and unique trinkets dotted around. As well as getting your ears lowered the way you want it, they offer beard trimming so you can kill two birds with one stone.

King Koby’s Chop Shop, Central Arcade, 143 Briggate, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 6BR.

Infinity Barbers

Infinity isn’t one of the best best barbers in Leeds – it’s three of them! With cool, buzzing shops based in Harehills, Woodhouse and Pudsey, they’re building an empire, and with good reason. The welcome is top notch, the atmosphere is great and the services are second to none. They cater to all hair styles here, with specialist stylists available to boot. Why not take it up a level? They offer proper pampering here, from cheek threading to facials and nose waxing.

Infinity Barbers, 107 Roundhay Road, Harehills, Leeds West Yorkshire, LS8 5AJ, 71 Raglan Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 9DZ and 18 Lidgett Hill, Pudsey, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS28 7DR.

E Street Barber Co.

E Street Barber Co. is to barbering what Springsteen’s backing band are to the Boss himself. Run by Mark Jones, he learned his trade in Leeds city centre before going out on his own with a very special mens hairdressers experience. This is a welcoming space, full of comfy leather chairs and nods to the owner’s music tastes on the walls. It’s the perfect little break from life while you get the look you want – trims, fades, re-styles, shaves, you name it, they do it.

E Street Barber Co., 11 Headingley Lane, Hyde Park, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS6 1BS.

Lords’ Barbering

20 years’ grooming experience across Europe perfectly set up Byron the Barber for his own shop and his Grand Arcade bolthole is safely one of the best barbers in Leeds. Flat tops or contouring, beard trims to full razor shaves, Lords’ has every base covered and their attention to detail is second to none. Throw in product advance and it’s no wonder it’s such a popular place – make sure you book ahead. As an extra treat, The Domino opens below just after closing, so stick around for a drink.

Lords’ Barbering, 23 Grand Arcade, Merrion Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 6PG.

Cold Bath

Chapel Allerton’s Cold Bath provide a welcome skip back to yesteryear with their throwback salon. It’s been open since 2001, so you know they know what they’re doing. Whether it’s traditional barbering, modern haircuts or old school beard grooming, they don’t just cover all bases, they nail them. The experience is just as important, though, and at Cold Bath, you get to wait and be served amidst vintage barber chairs, leather sofas and exposed brick walls.

Cold Bath Barber Shop, 43 Harrogate Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS7 3PD.

W2 Barber Shop

Over four decades in the business mean Richard Wyatt and co know their onions when it comes to mens hairdressers. They’re the team behind W2 Barber Shop in Oakwood – offering the good folk of Leeds the full set of traditional grooming for the modern gentleman. From beard trims to a cut and style, all-over grades and even long hairstyles, you’re in the most capable of hands and all in an old American-inspired shop full of cool signs and old album covers.

W2 Barber Shop, 131 Easterly Road, Oakwood, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS8 2TP.

The End

If you’re in need of a decent haircut in Bramley, The End is the old-school barbers you’ve been looking for. It’s bang on trend – think comfy leather seats, traditional mirrors and exposed brickwork. But how it looks is second to the service you receive and The End goes to the end of the earth to please. Cut and finish, highlights, beard trim, they do it all and everything in between. That’s not all, they’re also male facial waxing specialists – go on, get the full works!

The End, 303 Upper Town Street, Bramley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS13 3JT.

Doc Barnet

Leeds isn’t the first city to get a Doc Barnet, but the mens’ hairdressers on Albion Street is spreading the traditional barbershop style across the UK. Their Trinity home has got the feel of a proper, old-school barbers but with modern touches that bring it bang-up-to-date. So whether you’re after a standard cut, beard trimming, full beard shaves, the latest on-trend styles or a simple crew cut, give the Doc a call and they will give you the best of both worlds.

Doc Barnet, 1 Albion Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 5ES.

Boris & Co.

First in Mirfield, now one of the best barbers in Leeds, Boris & Co takes it old school, without losing the cool. Their city centre shop is big, but it still feels like you get that all-important personal service. Old school barbershop chairs sit in front of their own branded mirrors, where you’ll get everything from a blow-dry and cut to a beard trim and cut-throat shave. It also has a couple of surprises – there’s a tattoo studio and a made-to-measure men’s tailoring shop to boot.

Boris & Co, 10-12 New Market Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 6DG.

The Gentleman’s Barber

There’s been a barber here on Kirkstall Road for two decades, but it’s been given a new lease of life by Janek Makuchowski in recent years. He’s the man behind The Gentleman’s Barber, after spending 10 years in the trade. It’s filled with vintage barber paraphernalia, from the chairs to tools and wall signs, while the shop itself has a rustic feel with painted brick walls and wooden flooring. Treat yourself to a cut and finish, beard grade or complete shave, and relax.

The Gentleman’s Barber, 388 Kirkstall Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS4 2HG.

Temple Barbershop

With over 50 years of mens hairdressing and grooming experience across the entire Temple Barbershop team, you’ll be in a safe pair of hands at this Leeds city centre spot. Whether you’re in the market for a cut and finish, a beard trim or a hot towel shave, you’re sorted. This is a spacious, cool-as-heck shop with a stylish, retro-meets-modern decor. There’s a pool table to play while you wait and, if you’re very lucky, you might even get to meet the resident shop dachshund, Frank.

Temple Barbershop, 63-65 Great George Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 3BB.

Basement 68

Blurring the lines between contemporary and traditional, Basement 68 is the perfect barbers for your next cut in Leeds city centre. Dip down into this underground sanctuary for all things male grooming, run by Neil Garrett. You can take five on the Chesterfield sofas and watch telly or play on arcade games while you wait, before heading over to the vintage barbershop chairs for your chop. Cut and finish, hot towel shaves or beard trims, just take your pick.

Basement 68, 68a Wellington Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 2EE.

AL Barber

AL Barber has been one of the best traditional men’s hairdressers in Leeds for over two decades. Owned by Wassim Al Fares, this is a laid-back shop where you can take a break from daily life and get properly looked after. Get your hair coloured, a cut and finish or a cut-throat shave. Getting hitched? Go for their Wedding Service for the complete package and look spot-on for your big day. You can even pick up their own brand of products to complete your look.

AL Barber, 5c The Headrow, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 6PU.

BarberBarber

Since they opened in 2015, BarberBarber have courted controversy for their no-female policy, no matter what the circumstances. But if you can look past that, you’ll find that they pride themselves on going the extra mile for the gents they serve, from top-class service to quality hairdressing and expert beard care. It’s kitted out with classic barbershop chairs, mahogany furnishings and vintage-style tools and ornaments, all of which combine to really make it a throwback.

BarberBarber, 22 Albion Place, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 6JS.

Union Barbers

Union Barbers on Hyde Park Corner might look unassuming from the outside, but one step inside is like walking into a big family and that’s their main aim. To make their barbers as welcoming and down-to-earth as possible is just as important as their grooming services – which, as it turns out, are just as good. They do all hair types and styles here, from European to Afro, fades to trims, and you’ll come out looking and feel better than before.

Union Barbers, 21 Hyde Park Road, Woodhouse, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS6 1AF.

Blue Collar Barbering

Blue Collar Barbering is a super-cool independent barbers shop that offers all the essentials down on the historic Kirkgate. From a cut and dry to a complete restyle and even a full beard grooming service, Blue Collar cover all the bases and make sure they go the extra mile to give you the look you want. You might recognise the team – they’ve brought together a motley crew of barbers from all over the city and they’ve created a cool, welcoming space for you to enjoy.

Blue Collar Barbering, 90 Kirkgate, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7DJ.