Richard Marshall, who left school at 15 with no qualifications and undiagnosed dyslexia, now runs Pall Mall Barbers, one of London's oldest and most iconic barbershops, with eight locations across London and a flagship store in New York. The business, which dates back to 1896, was bought by Marshall in 2005 and has since become a West End institution.
From sweeping floors to owning a Mayfair institution
Marshall was asked to leave school at 15 due to academic struggles linked to dyslexia. He found work at a barbershop in his hometown of Bedford, where he swept floors and helped out. At 21, he moved to London after completing a barbering qualification and found a job in Mayfair, all while still unable to read or write.
Speaking to MyLondon, Marshall said: "I felt I always had being an entrepreneur in me. I remember going to estate agents to ask how to buy a place and they used to laugh at me. They never took me seriously, but I always had an inquisitive nature. My parents weren't business owners; I didn't know anyone who owned a business."
Discovering a hidden history
While working in Mayfair in the early 2000s, a client told Marshall about a shop on Whitcomb Street. The unit at 27 Whitcomb Street was Pall Mall Barbers, in poor condition but captivating. Marshall bought it in 2005. After finding an old business card beneath the floorboards during renovations, he researched the shop's history and discovered it dated back to 1896, originally called Pall Mall Toilet Saloon.
Marshall said: "When I first got access to the shop, it was dilapidated. I started working on it myself - cutting hair in the day, then shutting the doors and working in the evenings and weekends. After I found the business card, I looked into the shop's history at a reference library and found that the store dated back to 1896. I realised that I had bought one of the oldest barber shops in the world. It wasn't planned, but I see it as God intended."
Growth, challenges, and recognition
Pall Mall Barbers now operates eight locations across London and a flagship store in New York next to the Rockefeller Centre. The business has survived Brexit and Covid, worked with brands like Google and L'Oréal, and hosted Prince William for a conversation on men's mental health. Marshall was awarded an MBE in the King's New Year Honours List 2026 and served on the UK Government's Small Business Growth Council for 18 months.
Reflecting on his journey, Marshall said: "I couldn't visualise back at 15 that I'd be where I am right now. I didn't know people who lived in London. My mission has always been to show that success is only one aspect, but I wanted to reach a point in life where I had a story to tell that could inspire or motivate others. Being awarded the MBE was quite shocking. I didn't know what to do, whether to shout or cry. When that letter came through from the Cabinet Office, it was a special moment."
Marshall plans to release a book next year. Pall Mall Barbers is located at 27 Whitcomb Street, WC2H 7EP.
