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as it makes you accountable and visible. It’ s where we cut keys, meet customers, and build that all-important trust. It’ s why we’ re still getting calls from churches, estate agents, and restaurants- like the Royal Albert Hall, where we fitted a full master suite system. The £ 49ers couldn’ t do real locksmithing jobs.
Nurturing Talent I took on an apprentice 22 years ago named Dimitri Spyrou and he still works for me. He started young, with a background in carpentry, which proved invaluable, and I’ ll tell you this: he never says no to a job! He fits fire doors, security grilles, panic bars- it’ s the way to be. That’ s what locksmithing is now, it’ s about: diversity, skill, knowledge, and trust. You can’ t survive without all these things.
Doing it Right
We offer high-security cylinder systems, stocking Kaba, Abus Zolit, the new Anchor Infinity with magnetic key shafts. Different jobs need different key profiles. We’ ve built up our stock, suppliers, and product knowledge over decades. That’ s why we’ re trusted with things like Chipotle restaurants, Lambeth churches, and highend apartment blocks.
The problem is that scammers don’ t care about repeat business. They’ re in, they take your money, and you never see them again. We’ re the ones customers come to for help afterwards. We fix the mess. That’ s why I still love this work, unlocking someone’ s front door on Christmas Eve, seeing that relief in their face. That’ s real locksmithing.
Doing the right thing also extends to charity. My granddaughter was born with an illness that caused her to lose 90 % of her sight, so I sponsor Dogs for the Blind- they even named a dog after me!
Advice to New Locksmiths: Differentiate Through Diversity
If you’ re new to this, don’ t just buy every pick and tool on eBay. Don’ t blow your savings on all the gear before the calls come in. Instead, be diverse and pick-up lots of trades and learn as quickly as you can. Don’ t just be a locksmith, look at other complementary trades like auto locksmith, uPVC repair, carpentry, safes, or fire doors. Be flexible, open to learning as much as you can, and get experience with a reputable firm if you can. Remember that you’ ll be up against Google, not just locks, so don’ t rely solely on the internet to bring you work.
What Needs to Change
The Master Locksmiths Association is trying to get UK regulation, like they’ ve done in Ireland. They’ re lobbying Parliament and even Google. But let’ s be honest, Google’ s too busy raking in ad money to care.
Joe Public doesn’ t know what the MLA is. They don’ t think to check for credentials in a panic at 1am and that’ s why education is key. That’ s why I speak out, I’ m 61 now and I’ ve got eight years left on the lease of my premises and, I tell you what, I plan to stay put. Because we still believe in doing it properly, we may not the cheapest, but we’ re the ones who come back, year after year, to keep people safe.
Factoring in the Fines: Working in London
Travel across London is one of the biggest daily challenges. I used to be able to cross London in a day, that’ s impossible now- the sheer volume of traffic and 20mph zones dominating main roads, empty segregated cycle lanes, and a maze of restricted access routes, clear air zones, driving in London has turned into a gamble with penalty fines. I get two to three parking tickets a week, especially in Camden and Islington, there’ s just nowhere to park for tradesmen. The cost? Taken out of the week’ s earnings. When the post arrives, it’ s usually a fine of some kind. Despite it all, I continue to serve customers across the city, but I do have to weigh up whether a job is worth it – time, travel and fines! I drive a Corsa to make travel easier. Sadiq Khan, Mayor, needs a strategy that helps tradespeople travel as we still need to do our jobs.
Join the Petition for a Regulated Industry
Help raise awareness of the MLA petition to collect signatures to change the law and make locksmithing a regulated industry. If only homeowners asked for a locksmith’ s credentials or went to a local shop, asked if they pick or drill the lock, or if £ 49 is the true cost.
London Locksmiths Ltd is a trusted, traditional locksmith company based in Vauxhall, South London. Established in 2002 by Master Locksmith Alan Sharpe, the business has over three decades of experience in securing homes, offices, churches, and heritage sites across the capital.
With a physical retail shop at 14A Wilcox Road, London SW8, the company offers a face-toface, reliable service in a world increasingly dominated by faceless, online-only operators.
www. londonlocksmiths. com 07771 707887 londonlocksmiths @ hotmail. co. uk
JULY 2025
15
Issue Takeover locksmithjournal. co. uk