A barbershop owner is looking forward to becoming part of a 'close-knit' Bucks town community. 

George Stavrou, 45, has been a barber for 30 years and has no shortage of expertise in the industry. 

His newest challenge, though, is meaningful to him from both a personal and professional angle - and has been in the works for seven years. 

George officially opened The Gentry barbershop in Marlow on Monday, August 22 after a successful soft opening last week and seven years of planning.

He emphasised that the ambience and design of the shop had been carefully curated with the town's clientele in mind, and matched his own preferred aesthetic which he hopes will stand the test of time.

"I wanted this to be a relaxing, sophisticated barbershop that provides an experience rather than just a shave or a haircut. We have a full-time barista making coffee and we have refreshments including sandwiches and pastries and even a licensed bar."

Rather than purely being a functional space, George said he wanted to provide a barbershop that reflected the communal spirit of the town.

"Marlow has a very close-knit community. You only have to walk into some of the coffee shops to see that everyone knows each other. 

"That's really what we want to create here. We'd like people to come in just to relax and talk with the staff or grab a coffee among friends."

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The design of The Gentry also mirrors George's own growth and evolving personal preferences - he has been in charge of barbershops before, but none with this kind of laidback atmosphere. 

"I really enjoy creating a certain look or feel, and I have to be here every single day so I want that to reflect where I am in my life. 

"It was important to me to think ahead and create an experience that will resonate with a wide market and will serve me better over the coming years."

He said custom had been "very good" so far, with lots of children stopping by on Monday to get their back-to-school trims, a reflection of the shop's far-ranging appeal across age ranges and demographics.

"The children that have come in seemed to enjoy themselves and their mums sat and had a coffee and a biscuit while they waited.

"The best part about it is seeing all the different kinds of customers that come in. We offer tailored service to anyone who's interested, male or female and of any age.

"It's not like a gentleman's shop - there is a little something for everyone, and hopefully there's also a lot more to come."