This is a shop inside the historic Cardiff Market. An old Victorian building that offers products…read moreand services from local traders. But poor, old Yan & Sons. I say this because if you enter the Cardiff Market from the St Mary's Street end then you'll go past a big Timpson branch who offer shoe repairs and key cutting and various other services. If you walk a little further and into the main market you'll see Yan & Sons perched on the left hand side offering much the same service. They're just smaller. OK, a lot smaller. But there's an up side to their size and flow of custom - a quicker, more personal service for you. They offer a while-you-wait service for their key cutting and shoe repairs and various other bits and bobs they do, which isn't really an issue seen as you're in the Cardiff Market, one of my favourite place to wander around. As with all the traders in the market, they are long-time experts in their field, so they will offer advice and guidance that you can trust.

You don't have to be Carrie Bradshaw to know the pains of broken heels. The love you feel for…read moreinanimate objects can be as strong whether you choose brand-spanking-new Manolo Blahniks or car boot sale treasure. Come to think of it, that could be a metaphor for life. This heel bar is owned and run by a friendly pair of brothers Andrew and John. They can fix up your favourite shoes and cut you a spare pair of house keys while you wait, or you can do your grocery shopping or grab a cuppa in the market's many cafes and then nip back for them. Amazing. I've also got a strange fascination with the noises that key cutting machines make too, not sure why, I just do.

J B Shoe Repairs is a modern little cobblers on Clifton Street. It appears to be doing okay despite…read morethe drop in trade that other businesses have experienced since the new one way system was implemented by the council about a year ago. Trade has certainly not been as badly affected as it has at some of the others. As well as mending shoes they offer a reasonably priced key cutting service as well as an engraving service. I've been meaning to call in with my boots so that I can get them re-heeled and resoled in readiness for the winter. The only problem is that it hasn't stopped chucking it down for a long enough period for me to take them in! I think I'm going to have to resort to marching in there whilst wearing them and wait unshod whilst they fix them up on the spot. I've done it before! (It's not quite the same as the Levi laundrette ads!!!)

Cobblers are a bit of a dying breed. They're getting harder to find, and when you do find one it…read moreseems to be a chain. Well, this cobbler is a proper cobbler. He really mends shoes and he does a pretty good job of it. It is amazing how a pair of shoes that otherwise look knackered, or that have an unsuitable sole, can be transformed for a fraction of the price of a new pair. I have a pair of proper, American cowboy boots and I love them. Really soft and comfy. But they were on their way out and they leaked, the heel was gone, it was awful. A quick trip to Canton Cobblers and they were like new again and are still going strong. The cobbler can be a bit aloof, and sometimes it might take a few days, but if he is that busy then that must be a good sign. There are always loads of shoes behind the counter, and there are loads of proper cobbler type things and gadgets. He also does key cutting (why do those two always go together? Odd really) and he sells handbags.

I took my large leather medical type bag for a zip replacement. This was the only place that would…read moreeven look at it for me. The zip was repaired and for a very good price too. I'm very happy with the customer service given, which was thoroughly excellent. My bag has been salvaged and can now be used again. Thank you

This is a very small store, and the staff can appear a little shy, none of this matters though as…read moretheir shoe repair service is absolutely top notch. I can't count the number of times I've taken my shoes here to be re-heeled, and have not once found anything to fault. Depending on what exactly you need done the service is usually very fast, my shoes are typically ready by the next afternoon. Whilst a little on the quiet side the staff know exactly what they're doing, and really go the extra mile. I recently brought in a pair of black boots which had an unknown stain on them, they were able to remove it there and then and despite my protestations wouldn't take any money off me, which I found to be incredibly kind. In my opinion this is the only place in Cardiff to go if your shoes are in need of repair.

A useful shop-shoe products and repairs, key cutting. Will…read morelook at unusual repairs eg of bags/coats. recommend

I don't know what it is about the men who work in key-cutters and cobblers that makes them so…read morefriendly. Brownings is no exception. I had to get two spare keys cut for my new house, so on a trip to Albany Road I dropped them in here first thinking that I could pick them up on the way back. There was no need, however, as he stopped whatever else he was doing to cut them there and then, chatting happily to me about Cardiff and the weather and other things as he worked. I was surprised at how cheap it was too, as I've previously found that it is shockingly expensive to get keys cut. Aside from cutting keys, you can also get shoes repaired and engraving done at this store. It sells a nice range of gifts too. Most of them are things like lighters and keyrings that are designed to be engraved, but there are lots of other things besides and gift cards too.

Timpson is a quick and easy option if you need your shoes repaired or need to get a key cut while…read moreyou're in the city centre. This branch is only a small shop (as most are), but is located in a prime spot on pedestrianised Queen Street (near Windsor Place - up towards Capitol Centre end of the street). They not only offer shoe repairs and quick key cutting, but can also sort passport photos, car key programming, engraving services (for pet tags, trophies, etc), and watch repairs, and they offer a locksmiths service for homes, businesses and vehicles if you get locked out! It's open from 8.30 onwards, a bit earlier than a lot of other shops, which is handy if you want to get things done on the way to the office.

You will at one time or another experience being locked out of your house or losing your keys,…read morehaving a house mate who's got a spare is a life saver, but you will still need to get another one cut. Crwys Key cutting service will get you 2 copies for less than you would pay at Timpsons and because it's local to the cathays and Roath area most of you students may have use of their services. They also do shoe repairs and watch repairing service for replacing batteries.

I'm not sure which enterprising lad first cast his eye across the disparate fields of shoe repair,…read morekey cutting and watch fixing and decided that all these services that wallowed in the "misc" category actually belonged together, under one roof, but the man should be lauded. These three things seem to work together so perfectly well that should someone ask me where to get their watch fixed, I naturally direct them towards the nearest key cutters. I'm not sure why, but it's a system that works, and I thank that errant genius for his brave vision. And Crwys Key Cutting are one of the better ones out there, playing the "Misc" category of shopping necessities for all of the Cathays and Roath area. They've set themselves up with an exceptional location for this kind of thing. Given the closeness of studentville to Crwys Road, and given how utterly useless students are when fresh from their parents home, Crwys Key Cutting serves as the dad to all these wayward children. Got a problem with a thing that's vaguely DIYish? Crwys Key Cutters can probably sort it out for you.

This store is quite new to Cardiff, and so far I rather like it. You're not really going to find a…read morepair of cute kitten heels that Carrie Bradshaw would die for, but they do stock some good, sturdy, high quality shoes. Jones' carries brands such: as Ecco, Timberland, Hush Puppies, and the incredibly popular Ugg Australia. Furthermore they have a small range of shoe and leather care products which in my experience, really do what they say on the packet. In fact last time I was in this store, I asked the shop assistants advice on how to get a make up stain off my Hugo Boss bag (I'm an idiot, I know), and she was incredibly helpful and actually tested a range of their products on my bag in order to sell me the item which would have the optimum results. Most impressed, would certainly recommend.

I don't get Jones the bootmaker, its just a very expensive shoe shop to pick up overpriced shoes…read morelike Timberlands, Ecco and Campers. They aren's particularly trendy and cost too much to be practical. I felt the staff were a bit to keen and I felt like I was being watched all the tome. Maybe thats because I was the only person in the store. No thanks. I've never tested out their mending skills, but they do have a facility to do repairs as well.

If you need to get a key cut in the city centre area, Timpson is your obvious choice. This little…read moreshop, tucked away near the 'back' entrance to the Indoor Market (on St Mary Street), has been around for years. They not only offer quick key cutting while you wait, but can also do shoe repairs, locker repairs, passport photos, car key programming, engraving services (for pet tags, trophies, etc), jewellery and watch repairs, and a locksmiths service for homes, businesses and vehicles if you get locked out! It's also open earlier than most shops - from 8.30am onwards - which is handy. There's another branch of Timpson on Queen Street if you're over the other side of town (up near Capitol Centre, near Queen Street Station end of the road)..

I've already said that Brownings on Albany Road is a fantastic place to get your keys cut or your…read moreshoes mended and it's run by a lovely, lovely man. However, I don't visit Albany Road very often anymore, so I'm more likely to get that kind of thing done while I'm in town, and Timpson is the best place to do that. While slightly more expensive, the service is just as good, although it can get pretty busy in there on weekends. The store is really tiny too, so it can get really cramped. Their watch repairs in particular are excellent, with batteries that last much longer than those I've had replaced in other stores. They also sell funky keys in different colours and patterns, which it's really handy for me, as I seem to have a ridiculous number of keys, and spend ages at the door trying each one.