Nigel John Clarke is one of Brentwood’s characters and is familiar to many who live and work in the town! He was born in Good Easter, went to school in Chelmer Valley and lived and worked on the family farm in his younger days.

However, Nigel soon decided to branch out on his own and trained as a hairdresser at Vidal Sassoon in London. In his early twenties, after completing his training, he opened his first salon in Ingatestone and almost twenty years ago he opened The Hair Company in Crown Street, Brentwood - an informal and friendly establishment where everyone is made to feel at home. It is here in Crown Street that you will find the “Liberal Democrat Advice Centre� where petitions are signed and advice is willingly given!

Nigel is a popular figure in the retail world of Brentwood, fighting for the local independent traders at all times (with successes including the first Christmas lights in Crown Street and a live broadcast at Lighting Up Brentwood). Along with Cllr Karen Chilvers, he recently committed to doing 75% of his shopping in Brentwood during the High Street works and they succeeded in their five-month mission – winning praise from many local retailers who were struggling with the works and the recession.

Nigel lived in Ingatestone for many years but settled in St Thomas Road, by St Thomas’ Church, in 2007 with his eldest daughter Gabriella, 22, who, after a brief spell living in Scotland, has returned home to help her Dad’s election campaign!

Nigel has three daughters in all, Gabriella, Emily (16) and Olivia (12) who live in Colchester with their mother, but are regular visitors to their Dad in Brentwood.

Nigel’s hobbies include campaigning for the Liberal Democrats, playing for and managing Chignal Smealey cricket team, going to the gym, playing the guitar and gourmet cooking.

He is also Phoenix 98 FM’s cricket correspondent and is a resident guest on Thursday nights on the “Stick Around for Joy� internationally acclaimed show with Mike Le Surf.

Nigel has been working with and supporting Cllr Karen Chilvers for over two years.  Having missed out on being elected in Brentwood West in 2008 by a hundred or so votes, Nigel has remained an integral part of the Lib Dem team.

He is now Vice-Chair of Brentwood & Ongar Liberal Democrats and was a key component of the successful campaign to elect Cllr David Kendall as County Councillor for Brentwood South Division, of which Brentwood West is a part.

Nigel is a strong voice for the people of Brentwood and has been a part of many Liberal Democrat campaigns over the last two years including the “Bring Back the White Hart� campaign, a battle to get 20mph zones enforced, fighting for fairer car parking charges, to stop the introduction of Town Hall Car Park at weekends, for better consultation on the William Hunter Way development, for local businesses, to slow down the traffic on the London Road and to keep the last council run cricket pitch in use.

Nigel is pleased to have been selected to fight for this seat for a second time and hopes that 2010 will be a successful campaign, allowing him to fight for Brentwood West residents as their elected representative, alongside Cllr Chilvers.

If you want to contact Nigel he can be contacted by email at nigel.clarke@brentwood-ongarlibdems.org.uk, by phone on 07927 404 826 or you can pop in to The Hair Company at 31 Crown Street.