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Government proposals to ‘dress down’ courtroom attire could put many jobs on the line.
A government consultation paper - which included a list of alternatives to the wig and gown, such as pinstripe suits - may have been triggered by recent comments made by Lord Irvine of Lairg regarding the discomfort of wearing his ceremonial wig, writes the Independent.
A hundred craftsmen and women are estimated to work in the UK’s legal wig-making industry. If the proposals lead to the abolition of the wig, a number of them could lose their jobs.
Keith Sargant, proprietor of Thresher and Glenny in Chancery Lane - one of three leading legal outfitters, said: “The average person who wants their day in court expects a bit of formality.
“Barristers and judges looked so much more elegant in wigs and gowns. Why does Lord Irvine want to interfere with a tradition that has been working quite satisfactorily for hundreds of years?”
