Another recommendation that I would never have known about otherwise so I feel duty bound to tell…read moreyou about Heel Stop. Living in the Jewellery Quarter and wearing spiky heels do not mix! But Heel Stop repairs this type of shoes starting at £4.95 for just heels. They have just repaired one of my favourite pairs of extra comfortable (but still high) shoes; high wedges that have a rubber soul which they managed to completely rejuvenate for £14.95. My boyfriend takes all his boots their too. We both walk everywhere so there is a lot of wear and tear. On top of their fantastic prices, all the gents behind the bar always greet you like they value your business and have real pride in their work. Oh they cut keys and sell numerous related goods too. Tucked away in the indoor market, where all the food stalls are is this great value shoe repairer. In fact the only downside is the food - I'm not a big meat eater so those stalls put me off slightly but if you're on the hunt for other great value traders, this is the place to head to.

Is it just me, or does it strike anyone else as being strange that shoe repairs and key cutting are…read morecrafts undertaken by the same person under the same roof? The only thing I can think that they have in common is that a sharp implement is needed to do each job. I've had keys cut at One Step Ahead before. I was astonished at the price, until I found out that its pretty common for a Yale type key to cost a fiver to be cut. Heavens. So, if you need a key cut and you are in the area, One Step Ahead is maybe one of a few key cutting shops to go to. And for shoe repairs? Maybe some revision and a bit more expereince on the part of the owner could turn some average jobs into glowing ones.

I've never had a pair of shoes repaired in my life. This is probably because I don't buy very…read moreexpensive shoes, and it's essentially cheaper and easier to buy a new pair once the ones I'm wearing begin to fall apart at the seems. I'm missing out, I think, as it's possibly one of the most dapper and gentlemanly things in the world to say, "Do you like my brogues? I've just had them re-heeled". Sadly, this is something I may never get to say. I have, however, had to get keys cut, and on more than one occasion I have used the services of One Step Ahead for this. There's not a lot you can ask about freshly cut keys other than a) do they work? and b) Did you have a heart-attack when the bloke told you how much. With regard to this store the answers are, a) Yes and b) only moderately. But, really, what are you going to do, break a window? It's cheaper than breaking a window, put it that way. I wonder how much he charges to re-heel brogues?

If there's a job to be done around the house, then I'd rather someone else do it than do it myself…read more And I'm lucky(?) in that I follow in my mainland European roots by renting rather than owning my home, so it is usually up to someone else to arrange and carry out repairs. This shop is particularly handy for one thing. The owner must have close links with someone who works at a weather station. He always knows when it will snow and as soon as the blanket of white falls there will be plastic sledges on display. Its either that or he has loads of sledges in storage somewhere and just plonks them out front, but that's not a very mystical or magical explanation. So, when Argos have run out of human-propelled snow vehicles, and you are at a loose end, here is where to come.

If you ever need a light bulb, WD40, a handful of nails or a gazillion other DIY related items,…read morethen this place is king. I have never gone into this shop and been unable to find what I'm looking for. It is stacked from floor to ceiling with useful stuff. The staff are really knowledgable and helpful. The last time I went in I needed some clear grout for the kitchen. Had absolutely no idea where to find it, what it was or how to use it. When I turned up in the shop I also had my son in the pushchair. The guys behind the counter patienty explained what I would need, went to get it for me as I couldn't manoeuvre the pushchair round the narrow shelves and then showed me how to use it. Thy even fitted the grout ino the gun thingy for me. Now, that is hat I call service. The price is good, the service great and it's a bit like a DIY grotto, what more could you possibly want from a local shop.

There are not enough stars to award this brilliant locksmith and his business. A 20 minute…read moreappointment stretched to nearly an hour. He tried everything to re-code the key so that the car could read it and start up. He pulled so many tricks out of the bag I thought he could be a wizard, but, for a while he was stumped. He didn't give up though. The original job and price altered understandably, afterall, Smart cars are notoriously problematic. When I had reached my cut off point, he continued that little bit longer refusing to be defeated. He tried a new key circuit board, tried re-coding that as well as the original. Finally his tinkering and expensive, top of the range tools did the job and we now have a car again. All this for a measly £120. We thought that it would have been well over £200 based on the original quote I'm so pleased that I could burst. A sincere, considerate and genuinely hardworking individual. You would be a fool to use another company.

From the owner: Family owned,auto locksmith and mobile locksmiths professional & personal security services, with…read moreold fashion values and service.

Though listed on here and on other web pages as being a key cutting business, you wouldn't…read morenecessarily think this on first sight. A colourful array of potted flowers fill the pavement in front of the shop, and in the windows is a raggle taggle array of DIY goods and what could be labelled "leisure goods", such as tents. It's this assortment of other bits and bobs that makes Abasi possibly worth choosing over other key cutters in the area. It has the intrigue of a second hand shop. The key cutting side of the business works well enough, but if you live in the Selly Oak/Stirchley area and you're in the market for some lock fittings or roof adhesive, this is probably a good place to start.

Jim from JF Locksmiths offers a great service at a reasonable price. He was quick to respond to my…read morecall for help and fixed the issue immediately. From what I have seen online the price paid was very reasonable. If you want an expert and professional locksmith service I would recommend Jim anytime.

From the owner: Supply and fit open and replace all types of locks Including…read moreupvc door locks.We are part of the yale expert.and offer a 24hr emergency service.

I locked my self out of my flat today which is sunday.and I had to look through yelp to find…read moresomeone who can help me, I called few numbers and they were either unavailable or want to charge me around 150 plus something else I can't remember, and to make it worse the guy i called told me that he will not able to come to my address before 2 to 3 hours. however when i called mr. Fergus asked me a few questions about the door type and the address and told me that he will be at my address within 30 to 40 minutes . Actually he was on time, no delays, and within few minutes he managed to open the doors and charged me half the price of the previous lock smith. I paid through debt card ( which is just convenient ).

Fergus was incredibly helpful, knowledgeable and honest about the pros and cons of what was needed…read more Highly recommended!