Kirk’s DIY

Let’s get something straight from the outset, when it comes to DIY I am hopeless and as such I only ever begrudgingly visit a DIY store if my dad asks me to accompany him. So on many an occasion I have found myself inside Kirk’s on Raddlebarn Road. It is a store which reminds me of a bygone era, before the high street and before huge chain establishments such as Homebase. The outside of the store has a worn look about it, if anything though it gives the business that added sense of character. The owner of this business seems to have a knack of finding all manner of items which don’t seem to be available elsewhere and my dad has often found things at Kirk’s which he had long given up hope of locating. It is a friendly place too, with more than reasonable prices and a great level of customer service.

Since buying a house in the area a couple of years ago I have been dragged, kicking and screaming, into the grownup world of DIY. This is something I had hitherto shunned on the basis that I am left-​handed and as such at a natural disadvantage when it comes to hammers, nails, power tools and the like. Being a homeowner means that such excuses go out the window and you take on those hundreds of little jobs that need doing.
As such, this place has become very useful to me. It might not look much from the outside — in fact, it looks pretty terrible from the outside and is in dire need of a lick of paint (says the DIY expert) but inside it is a treasure trove of washers, screws, drain unblockers, mop buckets, and just about any other product you might need. If you can’t find what you’re looking for the guy will hunt for it on your behalf and, amazingly, almost never comes up openhanded. He’s friendly, helpful and not overpriced. It’s actually a pleasure to give him money!