About Gwydyr Hairdressing Saloon
Getting a haircut should be relaxing and I needed that after a stressful few days. Gwydyr Hairdressing Saloon is a calm little place close to my flat and this week saw them open their long-planned munch bar. I love efficiency as much as pastry and so being able to get a sausage roll and a haircut in the same place was the ideal antidote to my worries. Now, I just have to hope my hair keeps growing as the same rate and not falling out like my contemporaries.
Gwydyr Hairdressing Saloon is a world away from some of the other places that I’ve had my hair cut. I remember this one barber shop in Tottenham, that I was sure was a front. I was always the only customer in there and whilst I sat in the hot seat, an old man played chess alone and spoke to the barber in a language that I didn’t understand.
Some of the barber shops in Hove have been strange too. The place by my old flat would make me wait for ages, whilst the staff served mates that waited outside in parked cars. The pedant in me found the failure to follow the rules of queuing infuriating. More recently, I went to a place in Hove where the music blared and where the same barber served me each time. I’d groan inside after he selected me because his trainers smelled and I could taste them from the seat. The final straw was when I left there bleeding, after he shaved a mole with a cut throat. It’s a good job that I wasn’t turned into a pie.
Address
Gwydyr Mansions, Holland Rd, East Sussex, Hove BN3 1JW
1. Appearance
Did the sausage roll look appetising? Was it lovingly displayed in the shop window?
The sausage roll had a home baked look and was kept warm in a heated case. I spied it as I entered the barbers and couldn’t leave without one.
9/10
2. Price
How much did you pay for it? Was it good value for money?
£2.50 felt like a good price for a baked snack in that part of Hove.
8/10
3. Packaging
Was it carefully wrapped? Did it arrive home intact?
The sausage roll was placed on a plate, wrapped in greaseproof paper and then handed over in a brown paper bag. It arrived home intact with only a small amount of pastry flakage.
8/10
4. Weight
Did it have a satisfying weight? Was it reassuringly dense?
It wasn’t the heftiest that I’ve eaten but it had a perfectly acceptable weight. This sausage roll was more of a snack than a meal.
7/10
5. Warmth
Was it warm and ready to eat or cold on arrival?
The sausage roll was warm and ready to eat after the short walk home.
9/10
6. Pastry
Was it buttery and flaky? Did it hold together?
The pastry was delightful, buttery and flaky with a good colour and a golden sheen. I hoovered up the pastry flakes, to ensure that none escaped.
9/10
7. Quality of meat or filling
Was the filling substantial or did you mainly chew air?
The meat was moist and tasty, very much a tube of pork inside the pastry. This was a classic sausage roll, not like the squat ones that I see everywhere.
7/10
8. Flavour
Was the sausage roll delicious and well-seasoned?
There were the classic sausage meat flavours in there but I’d have liked a little more seasoning or a hint of chilli.
7/10
9. Satisfaction
Were you left satisfied or wanting more?
I was most satisfied with my trip to Gwydyr Barbers. It helped that it was a gorgeous sunny day on the coast.
8/10
10. Bonus Points
Did anything warrant bonus points? Eg. a little pot of mustard or friendly service from the staff?
Bonus points for sorting out my crazy hair and eyebrows. This place has a welcoming atmosphere and it’s worth popping in if you’re passing.
10/10
sAUSAGE ROLL RATING
82/100
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