A barber shop in Bedford has had an unusual regular customer for the last four years.
Unlike the Cavalier Club Barber Shop’s (CCBS) usual clientele, who are there for haircuts and witty banter, for this little fella it’s all about the meal…worms.
Nicknamed @Thatonegorgeyguy_ccbs, their visitor is a one-footed wagtail who has been visiting the Harpur Street shop for over four years. He has become such a regular feature they have even given him his own Instagram page.
His story began like any other urban bird, being fed Quavers on the street by a stranger. Feeling sorry for this scavenger lifestyle, CCBS owners Siobhan and Emma went out and bought him some mealworms and began feeding him outside the shop.
Their kindness was repaid when one day he flew right into the shop and landed on the table. Ever since then, his life of scrounging on the street for Quavers was over.
He now visits daily for his mealworm fix, delighting customers and staff alike, despite them affectionately describing him as a “freeloader”.
His pampered lifestyle has increased his lifespan which has already exceeded the two to three years expected of a street wagtail.
Due to the love and nourishment from the shop, the bird could now live until the ripe old age of eight.
Along with being hungry, That One Gorgey Guy seems to be quite the ladies’ man. “He usually comes on his own but has been known to bring a couple of girlfriends,” said Siobhan.
“He has shared his beloved mealworms with his lady friends, but despite many efforts cannot lure them into the shop.”
It’s clear that this little bird doesn’t just keep coming back for the food but also the people he has grown comfortable with and fond of.
Perhaps too fond, as Emma says she thought “he fancied me at one point” due to the way he constantly fluffed himself up around her and only responds to her voice, swooping in whenever she calls for him (apart from when we were there).
The bird has also begun to earn his keep in this new well-fed life, picking up a part-time job as a pest cleaner in the shop often killing any spiders seen lurking around the barbers.
“We are really thrilled he has made it into the paper,” said Siobhan. “That One Gorgey Guy is finally getting the recognition he deserves.”
If you’re now a fan of their feathered friend, you can follow his antics on his Instagram page: @thatonegorgeyguy_ccbs.
Published as part of our work experience partnership with Sharnbrook Academy
