Credit Crunch

Rising unemployment figures don't seem to be filtering through to the job market according to Liverpool hairdresser Herbert Howe.

The hairdresser, who was made famous by the 1998 fly on the wall television show Shampoo, says he is finding it hard to recruit for vacant positions in his company.

With the number of people out of work in the UK now above two million Herbert told BBC Merseyside that he expected to have little trouble finding new employees, "In this day and age when they say the unemployment is so great just where are these people?"

"We have 62 staff but we do need staff all the time, it's normal wastage people move on."

Two applications

Herbert's recent adverts for nail technicians and beauty therapists have received no applications while a further vacancy for bar staff at his new city centre bar Champu has only received minimal interest.

"We've had two applications from the job centre which I find strange, especially for bar staff," Herbert said.

"It's more than the minimum wage, I'd never play only the minimum wage."

"I'd just love to have a few more applications than we do."