How the UK’s dutiful launderette is fading under Covid and energy prices
The first thing Rajiv Shrikul does when he opens up his launderette in south Edinburgh each morning is pray. He says the 7am routine, which he started as a young boy in India, helps him cope with the kaleidoscope of personalities that pass through his shop. “Some people are angry, some are generous – you need to have a very stable mind. Meditation calms you down, especially in these hard times.”
Photograph: Murdo MacLeod
After opening in 1977, Braidburn launderette became a social hub, drawing in households that lacked the space or funds for their own machines. But Braidburn’s future is uncertain, like so many launderettes. These longtime staples of urban living have been hit hard in the pandemic and they, and their customers, are struggling with the cost of living crisis.
When Scotland went into lockdown, Shrikul’s revenue tumbled by 80% – and customers are only now trickling back in. “Suddenly, nobody was coming through the doors. I only stayed open because my elderly customers needed me to pick up and wash their clothes.”
Rajiv Shrikul loading a tumble dryer. Photograph: Murdo MacLeod
Customer and regular visitor Arthur Mafonko with his dog Milo. Photograph: Murdo MacLeod
Normally, during the Edinburgh festival fringe, tourists would pile into Braidburn to do their washing, but the last two summers have been quiet. The absence of students – another of his biggest client groups – also dented his cashflow.
Danial Kochak, who helps his dad Masoud Kochak run the Barbican launderette in London, says their loyal group of regulars cushioned the financial impact of Covid. The launderette’s mouthwash green palette harkens back to the early 1970s, when it opened. While locals have been using its services for decades, Kochak’s earnings
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