EXCLUSIVE: How Ted & Mus conquered Turkish barbering

FEATURES

By İpek Özerim

We may be living through the austerity years, but one sector that is booming is men’s grooming. Men’s desire to splash the cash to look good has propelled the sector to be worth some £1 bn.

It’s not just about buying moisturiser and bronzers. Guys are also bypassing the cheap and cheerful barbers’ shop where you enter with a unique barnet, but exit with the uniform one-style-suits-all clipper-cut ‘short back and sides’ for more expensive trims. 

At the heart of this explosion in quality men’s hairdressing are Turkish barbers. They’ve sprung up in every town across the UK. Among the best known is Ted’s Grooming Room, part of the top British fashion retail brand Ted Baker. 

T-VINE went on a mission to find out how an Englishman has come to be driving the coolness and popularity surrounding Turkish barbering. We meet Mus Ismail, a Turkish Cypriot barber and co-founder of Ted’s Grooming Room. 

He started off in his father’s shop in Holborn. After taking control, he transformed the business, gaining a reputation as one of the most prestigious barbershops in the capital. They developed a celebrity following and then one day Ted Baker’s owner Ray Kelvin started coming in. Mus takes up the story:

“Once we became established as the best in central London, a few celebrities started coming in, and eventually they brought their friends, until you couldn’t walk into the Grooming Room without seeing a famous face being shaved. Showbiz is a small world, and once you cut one person’s hair, it isn’t long before the rest follow.”

“Naturally, a lot of these guys came from the fashion scene. We had a few well-known names but the one who loved us the most was Ray. He loved everything about the shop: the service, the fit-out and the quality of cuts and shaves. He really appreciated the quality and attention to detail of our work. The most important thing was the energy and atmosphere on the shop floor. I’ve always employed the best young barbers around and this created an unbelievable buzz in Holborn.”

“After coming in for a few years, he asked if I would like to team up with his brand, and it seemed like a perfect fit.” 

“Ted Baker loved everything about the shop: the service, the fit-out and the quality of cuts and shaves.”

So an Englishman falls for the charm of Turkish barbering and invests. And with nine branches opened in the past five years, the formula is clearly working. We ask Mus what he credits this phenomenal success to.

“The most important decision I made was not to be afraid of taking a chance on young talent. We have the biggest team of top quality barbers in Britain and we insist on a consistently high standard of service in every one of our venues. We serve ten to fifteen thousand customers per month and plan to open more Grooming Rooms soon, so this is hugely important. Not only does this mean we have guys who are extremely loyal to Ted’s Grooming Room (TGR) but that we have the most energetic atmosphere of any barbershop in London.”

“The guys I employ are all highly talented, but we’ve taught them how to combine this with professionalism. And when you’ve got a whole team of young barbers who are not only well-trained, but have also been taught how to look after a Central London customer, you’ve taken the game to a whole other level.”

“When you consider the fact that our barbers work fewer hours than in other Turkish places, it means they can maintain their highest standards for every single client. And they have time to socialise with each other after work. Look after your staff and the business will look after itself; that’s why we arrange for our guys to use our cocktail bars and go on socials with each other. A happy barber makes for a happy customer.”

“We’ve shown the barbering world how to improve the overall experience of visiting a barbers’ shop. There isn’t another barbers’ shop in London – Turkish, English or otherwise – that can offer the experience we have. Several magazines have named us as one of the best barbers’ shops in the world. Our barbers are so respected, Wahl have told me personally that they won’t let our guys enter their contests because it’s unfair on the competition!”

“It’s not just the consistency and excellence of our barbers that sets us apart though…Ted’s Grooming Room is an entirely different brand to any other barbers; you simply can’t compare it to anywhere else. I’ve yet to find anywhere that has a high-quality sound system and a cocktail service in their store – three of our shops have a bar run by the Looking Glass Cocktail Club. We love to collaborate with brands like this; we’re the best in our field and we want to work with people who are the best in theirs.”

 

Cocktails while you wait, Sir? All part of the TGR service

He admits success was never guaranteed, but having found the optimum mix of barbering services, Mus remains committed to bringing through the next generation of top Turkish barbers and becoming internationally renowned as the best barbering establishment in the world.

“We have plans for four more Grooming Rooms in the pipeline. And while we are constantly receiving requests from around the globe, we are one hundred per cent determined to stay in London; I’m a Londoner who built a brand in my city and I want it to stay here.”

“I wasn’t an overnight sensation; I’ve fought my way up from a very early age. People always ask why we employ so many young Turkish barbers, and it’s because I came from that community. We’re constantly on the lookout for young blood; ambitious people who can keep challenging me and moving the business forward. No matter how successful Ted’s Grooming Room may have become, I’m still a barber at heart and I can always spot the good ones.” 

In keeping with its local heritage, one of the displays at TGR's medically-themed Mortimer Street branch

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Eray & Koray pay Ted’s Grooming Room a visit, 12 Jun 2015

Eray & Koray pay Ted’s Grooming Room a visit

Koray's facial hair gets the full treatment at
Ted's Grooming Room, Mortimer Street, W1

STUFF / HIS 

After leading the way in fashion for many years now, Ted Baker recently diversified into old school Turkish barbers with Ted’s Grooming Room. We heard on the T-VINE they’d opened the doors to their newest site in Mortimer Street (complete with medical theme, as pictured below). To celebrate the launch, we took our Turkish selves down there to check it out.

Situated over two floors, they offer haircuts, beard trims and of course the traditional Turkish shave. 

Downstairs you'll find a cocktail bar built-in, offering you the chance to sip some fine concoctions while you’re being groomed. 

The shaves are done in a traditional fashion with hot towels, cut throat razors and a standard splash of Kolonya after every shave.

Even if you don’t need a makeover, the experience alone is worth the visit: treat yourself to a shave, a drink and, if you’re lucky, a bit of lokum (but you didn’t hear that from us).

RELATED ARTICLES

How Ted & Mus conquered Turkish barbering, 12 June 2015

HDP passes 10% election threshold as AKP loses its parliamentary majority

NEWS/TURKEY

Turkey’s ruling AK Party has lost its single party majority, while the Kurdish-focussed HDP secures its first seats as a national party in the Turkish Parliament having broken through the 10% election barrier.

Turnout for yesterday’s General Election was 86.63% from a possible electorate of 53.7 million, including over one million first-time voters who have turned 18 since the last elections. With 99.99% of all ballot boxes counted, the polling results for the four main parties are as follows:

AKP % 40.86 – 258 MPs

CHP % 24.96 – 132 MPs

MHP % 16.29 – 80 MPs

HDP % 13.12 – 80 MPs

It means AKP is 18 seats short of an overall majority, spelling the end of its 13-year single-party rule. The election results also check the plans of former AKP leader, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to change the governance of Turkey into a Presidential system.

As HDP and other opposition party supporters celebrated, AKP government officials and supporters appeared glum as the news emerged that they had lost huge electoral support and seats in Parliament.

 

Turnout was 86.63% for Turkey's General Election. Photo: Milliyet

Winners and losers

While the political map of Turkey remains the yellow of AKP, which came first in most districts across the country, its popular vote has slipped by nearly 10%. That and a fourth party – HDP – entering Parliament have seen the number of AKP MPs tumble.

Since coming into power in 2002, AKP has seen its share of vote increase at each General Election. In 2011 the party, then headed by Erdoğan, secured 49.8% of the vote and won 327 seats. The party had seemed unstoppable, further cementing its place as Turkey’s governing party when Erdoğan took the presidential elections in the first round in 2014 with 52% of the vote. All this is set to change following the 2015 elections.

The main opposition party CHP did not perform as well as it had expected. Its support and number of MPs marginally decreased from its 2011 polling (down 3 seats and 1% votes) with some CHP voters backing HDP instead to ensure the smaller party would make it into Parliament. MHP enjoyed a 3% increase in its popular vote and its MPs leapt from 53 to 80.

In previous elections, Kurdish-focussed politicians had stood as independents to overcome the exceptionally high 10% national vote threshold. The 30 candidates who entered the last Parliament as independents then came together under a common political umbrella.

Selahattin Demirtaş at election rally on 24th May. Photo: NRT TV

Buoyed by the strong polling of HDP co-leader Selahattin Demirtaş in last year’s presidential elections, where he received just under 10% of the vote, the party decided to stand nationwide. The gamble paid off as it now enters Parliament with 13% of the vote and 80 MPs.

MPs close to the Fetullah Gülen Movement (also known as Cemaat) saw its support base collapse in 2015. Former AKP MP Hakan Şükür and his fellow Cemaat colleagues Ali Fuat Yılmazer, Yakup Saygılı and Yurt Atayün all polled 1% or less, meaning they have no voice in the new Parliament.

Women and minority representation goes up

Turkey's 25th parliamentary election sees a rise in the number of women deputies elected, increasing from 79 in 2011 to 96 in 2015. HDP had made a big point of ensuring there was a nearly 50:50% gender split among its candidates, which has helped increase the overall numbers.

The most number of female deputies are in AKP with 41, followed by HDP with 31 female MPs, then CHP on 20, and finally MHP with a mere four out of its 80 MPs.

Another breakthrough in the 7^th June elections is that Turkey’s Christian population will be represented by four deputies in the new Parliament. Three Armenian Turks have been voted in as MPs for Istanbul: Markar Esayan, a journalist for the pro-AKP daily Yeni Şafak, becomes an AKP deputy, lawyer Selina Doğan was elected for CHP, along with HDP’s Garo Paylan – a trainer on the Supreme Election Board. Lawyer Erol Dora, who is a member of Turkey’s Syriac community, is one of three HDP MPs elected in Mardin.

 

Selina Doğan, a Christian and of Armenian heritage, becomes a CHP deputy

Özcan Purçu becomes the first openly Roma candidate to enter Parliament. He won for CHP in Izmir province.

HDP’s two Yazidi heritage candidates, Felaknas Uca and Ali Atalan, are also elected as MPs. 

Major policy issues

Among the major policy battles in these elections were the economy. The opposition parties homed in on Turkey’s worsening economic climate, while the ruling party pointed to its successful track record since coming into office in 2002. All the main parties struck a mature note in the debate, stepping away from populism to promise key reforms and measures to put the Turkish economy back on a strong footing.

Other key issues in party manifestos included freedom of speech in Turkey, foreign policy (from the Cyprus Issue to EU entry, and the Syrian conflict), addressing the decades-old Kurdish Problem, reforming the judiciary and higher education systems, and changes to the governance of Turkey, with AKP backing a shift to a presidential system.

It follows President Erdoğan’s naked ambition to boost his powers following his election to the country’s top post last year. He has already broken with constitutional rules by chairing cabinet meetings and openly supporting AKP in the General Elections, while constantly slamming the opposition parties at public rallies. His non-partisan role and strident comments, along with numerous luxury purchases including a new opulent 1,150-room Presidential palace that cost Turkish taxpayers $615 million, has jarred with many voters.

 

President Erdoğan poses in AK Saray, his new 1,150-room palace that cost taxpayers $615 million. Photo: AFP/Getty

The scandals that have dogged AKP in recent years have also come to the fore during the elections. The failure of the government to try those implicated by major corruption allegations, including Erdoğan’s son and four Government Ministers, led to the party being dubbed “Thieving AKP” during the election campaign.

AKP received a further shock when leading Turkish daily Cumhuriyet published new evidence that seems to counter government claims that its intelligence agency sent aid to Turkmens: Cumhuriyet’s evidence shows arms in MIT-operated trucks being driven to Syrian Islamist opposition fighters. With the second anniversary of the Gezi Uprising falling during the election campaign, the government’s anti-democratic crackdowns were sharply back in focus too, particularly among Turkey’s first-time youth voters.

Overseas Turkish voters back AKP and HDP

Since 2012, Turkish citizens living abroad have also had the opportunity to vote in Turkey’s elections. This year, one in three of a possible 3 million people exercised this right, casting their vote at one of the 112 polling booths opened around the world and at Turkey’s customs points.

AKP fared well with ex-pat voters taking just under 50% of all votes cast, while HDP also polled strongly with 21%. CHP and MHP won 16.95% and 9.14% respectively.

AKP came first in territories such as France, Germany, Australia, North Cyprus, Norway, Algeria, Iran, Saudi Arabia and several central Asian countries including Ozbekistan. HDP topped the polls in the UK, Canada, Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, Poland, Italy and Japan. While its share of vote was lower than HDP, CHP won in multiple states including the USA, Eire, Spain, South Africa, Russia, China, and the Czech Republic.

Long queues formed outside Olympia, London as overseas voters cast their vote in the Turkish General Elections

Violence mars run-up to General Election

Tensions were high throughout the election campaign, with multiple violent clashes – some deadly – between opposing supporters.

HDP claims its members have suffered over 140 attacks in the run-up to the 2015 General Election, including two bomb blasts at its final rally in Diyarbakır on Friday, which killed two and wounded at least 200. Two days earlier, a 35-year-old driver of one of HDP’s campaign vehicles was shot dead in Bingol, in eastern Turkey, his bus raked with bullets.

Last month, two of HDP’s political bureaus in Adana and Mersin were also targeted by bombers, one exploding just moments before Selahattin Demirtaş was due to arrive for a pre-rally meeting.

Outside HDP’s political bureau in Adana, which was destroyed following a bomb blast in May

In May, AKP candidate Ramazan Demir was stabbed in the stomach while campaigning in the Aladağ district, in Adana. In February, Fırat Yılmaz Çakıroğlu, a youth leader for MHP, was stabbed to death by Kurdish militants during a fight on the Ege University campus.

Security was stepped up for Election Day with 300,000 police officers on duty supported by some 100,000 gendarmerie. 

Responses to the 2015 election results

The BBC’s Mark Lowen said: “In a volatile Middle East, Turkey matters greatly - and so the path it takes, the nature of its democracy and the leaders it produces, all have implications far beyond its borders.”

Trying to put on a brave face, Turkish PM Ahmet Davutoğlu told his supporters that “Everyone should know that the AKP is the winner of this election…[that this party is] the backbone of Turkey."

 

PM Ahmet Davutoğlu tries to put on a brave face after his party loses parliamentary majority

HDP deputy and actor Sirri Sureyya Onder countered by saying: "This was a victory of democracy over political corruption... of peace over war."

His party co-leader Demirtaş told a news conference in Istanbul that, "The discussion of executive presidency and dictatorship have come to an end in Turkey with these elections."

With no outright winner, talk has turned to which parties will form a coalition government and whether an early general election will be needed to try and shift the power balance.

The election results have also prompted jitters on the stock exchange. The Turkish lira traded near a record lows on June 8 as nervous investors reacted to the prospects of a minority or coalition government.

Get away to the Çanakkale Peninsula

Çanakkale Martyrs Memorial, Hisarlık Hill, Morto Bay

PLACES / HOLIDAYS

Visiting the Gallipoli battlefields during this centenary year is certainly one the major reasons to travel to the southwest coast of Turkey, but that’s not all the Çanakkale district has to offer. From its charming old city centre to the resplendent ruins of ancient Troy, travellers can sample the best of classic and contemporary history, while also enjoying a dip in the Aegean Sea.

Touring the battlefields

Situated between the Dardanelles and the Aegean Sea, the natural beauty and tranquil nature of today’s Gallipoli Peninsula makes it difficult to imagine the calamitous war that occurred here one hundred years ago. The area is now protected as a national park and has become a place of pilgrimage for Turks and foreigners alike who come to pay homage to the bravery and camaraderie of the soldiers who fought and died here.

There are multiple cemeteries and memorials for both Turkish and Allied soldiers. The easiest way to see them all is by car. The roads are well-maintained and signposted. Those happier on foot, but short on time can do the ‘Anzac Walk’ – a one-day trek that starts at North Beach and snakes through the various battle sites on the Peninsula. It includes a visit to Anzac Cove, where the Allies first landed on 25 April 1915 and which formed the military base for Australian and New Zealand troops during the eight-month campaign.

In nearby Arı Burnu, you can find the monolith that is inscribed with the famous words by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk to the first Australians, New Zealanders and British to visit the Gallipoli battlefields in 1934. The site and North Beach now form part of the annual Dawn Service that takes place every 25^th April.

The Çanakkale Martyrs Memorial (main picture) is located on Hisarlık Hill in Morto Bay at the southern end of the Peninsula. Measuring 41.7 m (137 ft) high, this huge monument, in the form of four square columns with a thick concrete crown, is visible from the Dardanelles. Underneath the memorial is the War Museum, which includes displays of original personal and military items, such as cutlery, a set of false teeth, belt buckles, sniper shields, and photographs found on the battlefield.

Other notable monuments include the Cape Helles Memorial to the Missing, a towering stone obelisk whose square base walls bear the names of the 20,673 British and Commonwealth servicemen who lost their lives nearby but for whom no grave exists. The 57th Infantry Regiment Memorial, which was unveiled in 1992, is dedicated to the Turkish troops who died defending the cove when the Allies landed in April 1915. Every man in the regiment was killed fulfilling the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Mustafa Kemal, who said: “I do not order you to attack, I order you to die. In the time which passes until we die other troops and commanders can take our place."

A modern addition for military historians is the Gallipoli Simulation Centre (Çanakkale Destanı Tanıtım Merkezi), just east of the village of Kabatepe and a short drive along the coastal road from Anzac Cove. Here, visitors can embark on a 2-hour long, 3D-journey through the Gallipoli naval and land campaigns that are displayed in 11 hi-tech galleries, which alternate between the Turkish and Allied experiences.

Troy – where mythology meets archaeology

This giant wooden horse, used in the 2004 film 'Troy', now stands in Çanakkale city centre

Written about by Homer in his epic poem Iliad and the focus of many a Hollywood film, Troy (Truva in Turkish) is a land of ancient wars and legends, making it a must-see destination for any visitor to the region.

A 40-minute drive from Çanakkale, Troy is situated on the Biga Peninsula, on the slopes of Kaz Dağı (also known as Mount Ida), close to Edremit. Since being founded in 3000 BC, it has survived numerous attacks by local and foreign powers keen to capture this strategic town that overlooks the vital Dardenelles Straits, which divide Europe from Asia. Today it is a protected World Heritage site due to the extensive archaeological excavations, including Troy’s ancient city walls, the ancient town of Assos where Aristotle once lived, and a holy site in Gülpınar where stand the impressive ruins of Apollo Smintheus Temple, which is also referred to in the Iliad.

A myriad mythical stories revolve around Troy. The most famous concerns the world’s first beauty contest: at a party thrown by Zeus, three goddesses – Hera, Athena and Aphrodite – seek to claim a golden apple from the Garden of Hesperides inscribed with the words ‘for the fairest one’. Unwilling to make a choice between the three, Zeus asks Paris, son of Trojan King Priam, to decide instead. Paris chooses Aphrodite, who rewards him with the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen, the wife of the Greek Spartan king Menelaus, whom he promptly abducts.

 

Ruins at Assos

The wrath of the Greeks triggered a 10-year war with Troy. They finally broke through with a cunning plan that involved the construction of a giant wooden horse in which they hid a crack squad. The Greeks pretended to give up the fight by sailing away, abandoning their horse, which the Trojans brought into their city as a victory trophy. That night the Greek army sailed back under cover of darkness and entered the city after their soldiers had crept out of the horse and opened the city gates. Troy, said to be one of the most advanced cities of its age, was totally destroyed.

Written in his hometown of Izmir, Homer’s dramatic words not only immortalised the memory of the Trojan War, believed to have taken place around 1200 BC, but also inspired Hollywood. Two of its best known films are Helen of Troy (1956), and Troy (2004), the latter starring Brad Pitt and Eric Bana. You can see the giant wooden horse from the 2004 film in Çanakkale city centre.

Çanakkale City

Photo: TourMakerTurkey.com

Once famed for its ceramic products under the Ottomans, Çanakkale now operates as a marina for tourists and a small, but busy port for trade. It is home to some 200,000 inhabitants including students at the local university. The old town maintains its charm with its narrow, cobbled streets and Ottoman-era town houses. Its waterside promenade and nearby wharf remain lively all year round with numerous cultural events.

City landmarks include the five-storey Ottoman Clock Tower (pictured), paid for by an Italian merchant in his will, the local Kent Museum charting the history of Çanakkale since Ottoman times, and the Korfmann Library, housed in a 19th-century former school in the old town opposite the Tifli Mosque. It was the bequest of the late Manfred Osman Korfmann (1945–2005), a former archaeological director at Troy, and contains 6,000 volumes on history, culture, art and archaeology.

Beaches

It may not be in Turkey’s top 10 beach holiday destinations, but the Peninsula does offer plenty of tranquil coves that are ideal for those after some sea and sun. It pays to get away from the city centre, where the sea is often polluted. A 60 km drive from the city brings you to Bozcaada – a small island off the mainland that is accessible by car ferry. Its Habbele Beach boasts clear blue water, and the islanders are renowned for their fishing and the production of good local wines.

Or embark on a boat from the city centre and glide across the Dardanelles to Zargana Beach, located in the foothills of Kilitbahir (meaning ‘lock of the sea’) Fortress. The local village provides all the amenities you would need for a short stay. Further up on the same stretch of coast is Kabatepe Kumsalı, which has a lovely campsite in a forest – the perfect shaded backdrop for sunny days on the adjoining sandy beach with its crisp blue sea. Best avoided during the peak season of July and August.

Getting there

With Pegasus Airlines: London to Balikesir/Edremit airport, then a 1.5 hours drive to Çanakkale, £119 one way. 

Travel from Istanbul by coach (6 hrs), or fly to Çanakkale airport, or take a ferry boat from Yenikapı to Bandırma, and complete the journey by bus (just over 4 hrs). 

20 days left to secure funding for new short film ‘Our Cyprus’

Peter Polycarpou plays the lead, Mehmet Ali

NEWS/UK

A British director has less than three weeks to raise nearly £6,000 to complete the financing of his new short film Our Cyprus. Brighton-based Alkin Emirali, whose family hails from Luricina

(Akıncılar), has launched an online campaign aiming to raise £7,750 for his mini drama set in modern-day North London. To date, £1,970 has been pledged to the project.

About the film

Our Cyprus stars renowned British actor Peter Polycarpou (Birds of a Feather/TV, Les Misérables/stage and Evita/film) who plays the lead Mehmet Ali, an elderly Turkish Cypriot who remembers a happily mixed Cyprus before the island was divided; his home village of Luricina the perfect example of Greek and Turkish Cypriots living side-by-side as friends and neighbours.

Mehmet Ali meets Andreas, a young UK-born Greek Cypriot whose life has been shaped by the Cyprus Conflict. For him, Turkish Cypriots are the enemy. Yet Mehmet Ali feels an affinity to the young man. What will it take for these two people to overcome a lifetime of hatred and to once again become friends?

Homing in on the human perspective, this universal story about two communities torn apart by a political conflict could just as easily be about a Palestinian and an Israeli, or a Protestant and a Catholic from Northern Ireland. That it is about Cyprus during a time of renewed hope for the island’s unification is perhaps a positive omen – certainly a sign of the times.

Writing about his new project online, it’s clear that Alkin Emirali wants to move beyond the constraints of the conflict and celebrate the two communities’ commonalities: “I grew up hearing my grandparents speaking primarily Greek Cypriot despite being Turkish Cypriots. I heard about my paternal grandfather and his drinking buddy the Greek Orthodox priest. I learnt that both my grandfathers (Turkish Cypriots) were baptised in the Church as well as being circumcised as Muslims…that Greek and Turkish Cypriots would celebrate each other's religious holidays.”

“It seemed to me that these people were not just neighbours, but such close friends that it was hard to see where one ended and the other began.”

Alkin Emirali made his mark directing commercials for Sony & BMW

Alkin is one of the UK’s emerging filmmaking talents, whose work has attracted the support of industry bodies Creative England and the UK Film Council, The Turkish Cypriot writer/director first made his mark directing commercials for the likes of Sony PSP and BMW, before turning his hand to writing and producing a number of short films including RUF 992M. Currently penning a script about an epic historical drama for Ardor, an independent production company, Alkin hopes to go on and make his own full-length feature film, Goats & Sheep, which is set in Luricina in the 1920s.

Funding Our Cyprus 

The fundraising campaign for Our Cyprus runs until 20 June. Donations can be as little as £5, which gets you a public thank you. For £10, you’ll receive the film poster. £75 will get you an invite to the film’s premiere, and for £150 you can also star in the film. There are multiple other levels up to £1,000, which offers two people the chance to be credited as an Executive Producer.

You can find out more about the film and make a donation here. You can follow the film’s progress on their Our Cyprus Facebook page 

Seksendört are ready to rock London

On location in Girne filming video for Faili Meçhul 

CULTURE / MUSIC

London forms the last leg of this quartet’s European Tour. The rock outfit were last in the capital in 2009.

Since then, Seksendört have released their third album, Akıyor Zaman, dueted with label stable-mate Hande Yener on Rüya (2012) and separately in the same year with the legendary Orhan Gencebay on Dokumnma.

They’ve also penned hit single Faili Meçhul (2014) whose video was filmed in Girne by award-winning British Turkish Cypriot director Serdar Ferit. Under the direction of top producer İskender Paydaş, the track is a nod to the 70s, an uplifting Turkish rock-folk tinged ditty about a romance doomed to failure.

Formed in 1999, the band comprises four friends from Ankara: Tuna Velibaşoğlu (lead singer, guitar), Arif Erdem Ocak (guitar), Okan Özen (bass guitar) and Serter Karadeniz (drums). They cite their influences as Moğollar, Athena, Erkin Koray, Duman, Mor ve Ötesi, and maNga.

While steeped in rock their past concerts have also included unexpected songs, from covers of their favourite Turkish singers to Turkish Classical Music. As they take to the stage without a support act, expect more surprises from Seksendört during an extended set at the O2 Academy in Islington on Sunday 14 June. 

Concert date: Sunday 14 June 2015

Address:  N1 Centre, Angel Central, 16 Parkfield Street, Islington N1 0PS

Doors open: 19.30 (no support act)

Tickets: special rate for T-VINE readers: £22.50 including booking fee – only while stocks last!

Buy tickets: T-VINE ticket shop

Losing weight safely this summer

WELLBEING / BODY

By Feriha İbrahim

Summer time means wearing fewer layers, but also becoming more body-conscious. Few people are blessed with having a high metabolic rate, allowing them to burn off whatever they eat. The vast majority of us will put on weight if our intake of daily calories goes up, while our physical activity levels remain the same or go down.

The dangers of fad diets

Whatever the latest diet gurus say, there is no magic formula for rapid, safe and permanent weight loss. As many individuals will testify, paying out for fad diets will see your weight come back just as quickly as it fell off, because they are not sustainable. Indeed, one of the major worries of following a popular diet is the negative impact it can have on your body.

Many people try crash diets, which can make you ill as you dramatically decrease your food intake, leaving you too weak to function normally. Others exclude entire food types, such as meat and dairy, or carbohydrates, which depletes your body of vital minerals and vitamins, or provides an excess of one food type, such as saturated fats, which can increase the risk of heart disease.

7 tips for sensible weight-loss

Here are seven simple ways to lose weight healthily – and keep the weight off!

1.       Eat breakfast! Too many people skip this vital meal, which deprives you of good energy at the start of the day. Research shows those who eat breakfast are less likely to be overweight.

2.       Cut down on the amount of fat you eat by trimming the fat off meat, switching from full-fat to skimmed milk, and using more low-fat spreads.

3.       Swap white rice, bread and pasta for wholegrain varieties. Wholegrain takes more time to digest, so you feel fuller for longer.

4.       Have five portions of fruit and vegetables every day – vary what you eat to ensure you get a good mix of nutrients.

5.       Ditch sugary drinks for lower calorie alternatives or, even better, for some sparkling water with a slice of lemon – refreshing and good for you!

6.       Tempted to snack? Drink some water or a cup of tea first. Often we think we are hungry, but our bodies are merely thirsty.

7.   Exercise regularly: aim to do 150 minutes of moderate-to-intense physical activity each week.

Orlistat – a medical jumpstart for the obese

If your Body Mass Index (weight divided by height squared) is over 30 and you are struggling to achieve weight loss through regular means, you can also consider trying a medically-approved diet aid.

Some pharmacists are now authorised to supply Orlistat under the Weight Loss Patient Group Directive to those who are significantly overweight. This medicine, issued under strict guidelines, can help you to lose weight by blocking the enzymes in your gut which digest fat. Nearly a third of the fat can then pass out with your stools (faeces).

The normal dose is one capsule (120 mg), three times a day with each meal. However, you do not need to take one if there is no fat in the meal or if you miss a meal. Many people will also take multivitamins to compensate for any nutrients that are lost when the undigested fat passes through your system.

Talk to your local pharmacist, who will first ask you to complete a form. If you qualify, you will be set realistic targets for weight-loss and be regularly monitored. You will still have to diet and do exercise, but your body is given a major boost by Orlistat. Although the medicine doesn’t work for everyone, four in ten people who stuck to the guidelines did record a significant drop in weight.

For more information, visit the Weight Loss section on NHS Choices online, which has lots of useful guides, as well as anecdotal stories about people trying different ways to lose weight.

About the author: Feriha İbrahim is a fully-qualified pharmacist who, together with her family, runs Woodside Pharmacy – both branches are located in Leytonstone, London E11.

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