Just off the main square in Covent Garden and down the cobbled street of Maiden Lane lies Ruffians Barbers.

Specialising in men’s hair and cut-throat shaves, Ruffians offer a range of services: haircuts, cut-throat razor shaves, moustache trims and beard tidy-ups. The team prides themselves on high standards across all aspects. Ruffians was created in 2012 in Edinburgh’s West End and then in December 2013 opened its flagship store in London. Stepping into the store, the shop fit has been carefully planned and executed very well indeed. With oak worktops and desks, open brick walls and tiled facades, there’s a feeling of, well, good-old traditional manliness, whilst having a modern stylish edge to it.

Before getting my haircut, I was able to have all my belongings stored in their lockers and then I was offered a choice of drinks. I was thinking coffee, but after just coming from Café Nero, I opted for water. After a short break, which I didn’t mind at all since they had the last issue of Esquire for me to flick through, I was then greeted by Joe Parker, my barber for the cut. After a little chat, we spoke about how I wanted my hair. For Ruffians, it’s about customer service, and touches such as a five-minute consultation before the cut, adds to that.

To start with I had a forward facing hair wash and head massage with Apothecary 87 oils. Then the cut. I opted for a 3 down to a 1½ fade on the back and sides, with a slight trim up on the top and a run through with the thinners. Normally when I have my haircut, it feels more of a task, than an enjoyable experience, but at Ruffians it’s the opposite. There’s no worry of stepping out the barbers with a bad cut, as Ruffians take the time to make sure you’re happy with it.

After a great cut by Joe, I got to speak to social media manager Adam from Ruffians to learn more about the brand and their ethos, as well as plans for the future and some other exciting things about possibly working together which I wont go into too much detail. Adam went on to tell me how Ruffians sets aside 45 minutes for a cut opposed to 30, again going back to offering the best service possible. They have created a brand that cares for its clientele and take pride in offering an unparalleled service. I’d recommend anyone of my friends or anyone who has read this blog post to take a trip to Covent Garden and go and see the Ruffians team for yourselves.