VIKINGS have invaded Newport but this time in the form of a barber shop which has opened this month.

Barbarian Haus Barbers opened on July 25 in Risca, replacing Salon Noir on Meadow Crescent, except it's not your normal average barber shop as it will be in the theme of Norwegian Vikings.

Chris Barrett, from Newport, has been in the barbering industry for 13 years before deciding to open his first business.

He said: “It has been my dream to open my own shop and I have always lived like a Viking myself and that’s where the whole theme comes from.

“I see so many barbers open and there is no personality in them, so I wanted to bring something different with my shop.

South Wales Argus: Chris Barrett cuts customers hair Chris Barrett cuts customers hair (Image: Treasured Memories)

Chris Barrett cutting a customer's hair. Picture: Treasured Memories 

“I want people to come in not just to have a haircut but to see a different themed shop that brings the feeling to when the Vikings settled in Norway or Iceland.”

The 31-year-old has worked in the industry since the age of 18 and was trained at the Lazarou Barbershop in Cardiff.

Mr Barrett told the Argus his creativity was limited in his current job in terms of haircuts, which spurred him to open his first salon.

He added: “I was going to open my own shop a few years back, but everything was on hold due to the pandemic and I saw so many places closing down, so I got scared.

“The reason I am opening it now is because my creativity in terms of what I can do haircut-wise was being limited.

“The way I was raised is to look after the people who look after you, that’s why I have discounts in place for emergency services, armed forces, students and senior citizens.”

Inside Barbarian Haus Barbers will be decorated with engraved woodwork along with a house with a dragon’s head on top at the workstation.

South Wales Argus: Barbarian Barbers in Risca Barbarian Barbers in Risca (Image: Treasured Memories)

Barbarian Barbers opened in Risca on July 25. Picture: Treasured Memories 

Mr Barrett will be running the shop alone until he finds somebody who shares his views of barbering and has already had interest from 50 or 60 customers for haircuts when the shop opens.

He added: “My workstation is almost built like a house with a dragon’s head on top, which is very typical to what they would have on their own houses back when they settled into Norway or Iceland, so I wanted to bring that feel into it.

“It’s a surreal experience and is a very strange feeling that I can’t put into words as I don’t know how well it will do until I open.”