New Social Art School Projects - Tillydrone Louise
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Louise and Ann at the interview session in artist's flat, April 2007
Louise hairdresser & Ann mum and assistent
I have this idea that, if you come to a new place and you want to get to know about it, you go to the local hairdresser. So I went to the one and only in Tillydrone: Unique Hair Salon. The shop is like a social institution. Louise and Ann are so forthcoming, helpful and chatty. Everyone speaks to everyone in there. I felt welcome instantly and they were the first people I thought of interviewing for this book. Louise is 27 and Ann is 61 years old.
Ann We can’t give away any secrets! Haha! People in Tillydrone are misunderstood. A lot of people think that everybody is robbing everybody here! It’s nae like that.
Louise We come fae Northfield and it’s very much the same. When I first started going out in town, I used to get folk saying, ‘You lot are all minkers.’ One time it was a guy from Westhill. So I says to him, ‘Well, the difference between you and me is that you drive mummy and daddy’s posh car, I drive my ain!’ That shut him up. I can identify with the way people feel here. We come from these stigmatised areas, where we’re being judged in one category. But you can go to Bridge of Don and still have an arsehole living next door!
A When we had been in this shop for only a few weeks a kid came in and said, ‘Yous are okay.’ I asked him, ‘Fit’s that like?’ – and he said, ‘You’re nae up your ain arses!’ I says to Louise, ‘I think we got a compliment!’ Hahaha! I think they are maybe a bit wary for a start. But, when they get to know you, they are very, very friendly.
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L We used to have a shop in Sunnybank – nothing against that, because we had four good years of custom. But I never felt as welcomed there as I have been here. I don’t know what the difference is. But here, maybe there is mair folk going aboot on a daily basis.
A If you get into conversation with somebody, you can be guaranteed that, the next time they pass, they’ll give you a wave. It wasn’t like that in Sunny Bank. One day Louise had asked me to wash her hair in that other shop – and the door was open because it was a fine day. So I was rubbing into her hair…
L Hard!
A … and she said to me, ‘I hope you dinnae rub my customers’ hair like that’, and I said, ‘Shut the fuck up!’ Like that! This woman passed the shop and, Oh the outraged look she had on her face! Now, if that had happened in Tillydrone, somebody would have looked in and they would have just laughed! If you come into that shop, people are always speaking, yapping awa. In the other shop, sometimes people wouldn’t even speak to the person sitting next to them.
L Here everybody mingles, although they maybe don’t know each other. And that’s always the way I wanted it. I want everybody to feel comfortable, have a laugh and enjoy the conversation. And I’m lucky that I’ve got that. I’ve had this shop for two years in July. And I feel safer in Tillydrone than I did in Sunny Bank.
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A In some areas you’ve got people who’ve been there maybe 30-40 years. Good people. But then they put in all these eens – it’s obvious – people who are in amongst drugs and things… Then people have to contend with these undesirables – if you want to put it that way. And that’s a shame.
L But, you could tear down all the houses and rebuild a mansion if you wanted. But, if you’re putting the ones that cause trouble back in, the problems they have are still there. So, you’re almost wasting money, pulling down perfectly good flats. If they’ve got all this money to spend, and they think Tillydrone has got a problem with drugs - why are they nae putting it into making a drug rehabilitation programme or something? Why are they nae deein that? Stop tearing down the houses and use the money to re-educate people in social behaviour, trying to cure some of the problems in society. Some people will say they’re just junkies, but families and friends are probably victims to what they are doing.
A Nowadays you are lucky if you don’t have one in your family that does go into drugs. It’s a horrible thing to say, but it’s true.
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L In this area there are a lot of working class folk. Like I am. Maybe some of them have nae got much, but the majority of them have got a close net of family. You dinnae see that in a lot of other areas. I’ve never met so much folk that are related. And they stick together through thick and thin. There is a very big family closeness here. It’s nice to see that.
AWe know a family of five generations here.
L I didnae have the oldest, but I’ve had all the other four generations in the shop! That is amazing.
A You can be speaking to somebody and say that such and such was in, and they will say, “Oh aye, that’s my cousin!”
L Doon here the residents seem to get involved in community issues as well. They dee volunteer work and fundraising for the community. Whereas far we come fae there is nae so much of that.
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L The women - nae offence to men – I’ve actually got male costumers that are sole parents, which is now a growing thing. But I think that women’s perspectives often deal with the greater issues of having children, bringing them up and having the problems and seeing more what’s going on. Maybe women are a bit more sensitive to the issues. Maybe…
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L The regeneration is all public appearance. They think that, by dressing it up, they will deal with the issues. So they can say, ‘Look what we’ve done, look at that bonnie buildings.’ But they’re skating over the human issues. They don’t know anything. And it seems like they don’t take the view of the people.
A How many councillors do you think live here?
L At some point they have to take the human approach and deal with the social issues. And, until they realise that, they are nae deein anything with it. They need to get into their jeans and trainers and get oot in the streets and speak to people, rather than sitting behind their desk, quoting figures and statistics. Folk roond and aboot are like me. And, if I ken fit my opinion is, I can put it across. But I’m nae a big brainy person and they need to come doon to the level of normal people.
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A I get aggravated about people who class other people. Ken? We’re all human beings.
L I do recognise that, in society, you are put into classes. I’m aware because people instantly looked at me as lower class. At the end of the day, people are people. If somebody’s nice to me, I’m nice to them. Years ago, when I worked at another hairdresser, there was a woman who used to come in. Her husband was worth, reported £40 Million. Now, she would come into the back of the shop and eat a baked tattie with us. And I liked her for that. She drove a Bentley. When I found oot what they cost I near aboot had a heart attack!
AFolk have said to us in the shop, ‘Dee ye ever get folk who don’t pay?’ Now that pisses me off. Because you come from this area, you don’t pay? We’ve got people that come in and pay their haircut in advance. They maybe come in and pay ten pound and another bit another time. And when they’ve got all the money they get their hair done. Because they know they might spend the money otherwise.
L Some people think that it’s a certain way in Tillydrone, but it’s actually the complete opposite. Down here people know they have to pay for things.
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L Because I’ve had this stigma against me in the past, I was even more determined to get on and dee something. I’m nae loaded be any means. But I’m making a good living, paying the bills and I’m happy wi what I’ve got. And it just proves that it’s nae aboot far ye came fae, it’s how you’re brought up and the influence you’ve had roond and aboot ye. It’s aboot how you are as a person.
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L I went to Northfield Academy and I had to leave because I was badly bullied. Believe it or not, I was quiet at school! I left at 15 without any qualifications. I was such a weak kid, I was scared and I wouldnae have stood up for myself. The hairdressing was the start of me coming oot o myself. I felt more comfortable. But I have nothing fae school. I still wonder, if I had fended for myself, maybe I had been able to concentrate and I could have had mair qualifications. I wonder. I can debate aboot things, but I dinnae ken aboot politics and stuff. That’s when I wish I had a bit mair education, so I could understand the big words and understand what folk are going on aboot!
A Life is fit you need. Life experience is better than onything.
L If I went bankrupt tomorrow I would clean toilets with a toothbrush! As long as it’s honest, decent earned money I have nae got any qualms taking any kind of job. Naething’s beneath me. I was lucky, in the right time and place. I started my first shop with £1000, and that was the best time I’ve ever had because I started from nearly nothing.
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L There’s a guy, who works for the council, sweeping up the streets and stuff. One day - there’s heaps of folk going aboot - he’s shouting to me, ‘You notice how your bit is still dirty? That’s because I’ve got a letter fae the council here, saying nae to clean your bitty because you’ve nae paid your council tax!’ I said, ‘I have paid my fucking council tax, just yesterday.’ And he says, ‘Well you’ll be the only bastard in Tillydrone that has!’ And he bides in Tilly! That’s the thing. You can only make a joke and slag yourself off, if you come from the area yourself.
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L I’m enjoying my time in Tillydrone. I like the people. I’ve come as an ootsider and I feel very much accepted. I go home at the end of the day, having enjoyed my time doon here. The people are just like me, ken, brought up the same way. There is a lot of bad stigma aboot Tillydrone, but it’s nae the case. It’s a small minority that people are judging the whole lot on. And it’s nae fair. Folk are sometimes asking me, and I say to everybody that, if I want to carry on having a shop, it will be in Tillydrone. I don’t want to move onywhere else.
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Recorded 17th April