The Locksmith Journal 120 May 2026 | Page 7

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We organise the jobs carefully each morning from the shop in Bow. I actually live in Chelmsford now, so I catch the train into London, collect my bike from the shop and plan the day from there.

We always keep someone based in the shop to answer phones, cut keys and deal with walk-in customers. That balance between mobile work and having a physical premises is important.

A lot of so-called locksmiths in London are purely mobile and effectively untraceable if something goes wrong. Having a proper brick-and-mortar shop gives customers confidence.

East End Roots London Locks operated from a business centre until 2023, when a fire on the roof forced the company to relocate. We moved down the road into a proper commercial premises right opposite Bow Church DLR with a visible shop front, and it’ s been a massive step forward for the business.

East London is our patch and we know it inside out. There’ s no point me competing in Chelmsford when the opportunities in London are far greater.

We know the buildings, the lock types and the problems that come with properties across East and Central London.

We believe we’ re the only MLAapproved locksmith company based in Tower Hamlets, which is huge considering the population density in the borough.

I’ m a QML Master Locksmith and that accreditation matters to us. Customers are far more aware now of rogue locksmiths and scams, especially in London. That’ s one reason I’ ve ended up appearing on BBC London, regional news and radio, BBC Breakfast, BBC Watchdog and BBC Investigates over the recent years. The industry has needed people willing to speak up about rogue traders damaging the reputation of genuine locksmiths.

Transparency is Key

One thing we’ ve focused heavily on is transparency. We encourage customers to send us WhatsApp photos of their lock or key issue before we attend. From that, we can usually give an accurate fixed quote or at least a realistic best-case and worstcase price range. That removes surprises and helps build trust from the beginning.

I think customers are tired of vague pricing and bait-and-switch tactics. Being upfront has helped us build an incredibly strong reputation online with more than 950 fivestar reviews- word travels fast in London.

Looking Ahead

The future for us is about strengthening our footprint in East London and continuing to grow organically. We’ re investing heavily into the website and SEO while looking at bringing more staff into the business over time.

More information Founded in 2004 by Lloyd Morgan, London Locks is an MLA-approved locksmith company based in Bow, East London. Specialising in locksmith services, key cutting, access control and security upgrades, the company operates across London using electric cargo bikes and scooters to provide fast-response locksmith services throughout the capital.

www. londonlocks. com 07743 247 007 info @ londonlocks. com

Family is a big part of what drives me as well. My wife Laura-Jamie is company secretary and director, and we’ ve got three young children, Indie-Blue and our 18-month-old twins, Wilder-Grey Morgan and Banks-Sullivan. My wife likes unusual names, so they’ re definitely unique. Will our children join us eventually in our business? I do hope so!

Locksmithing has given me the ability to build something different while supporting my family, and I genuinely love what we do. For me, the bikes represent more than just transport. They’ ve become part of our identity, in a city where everyone is stuck standing still, we just keep moving.