Tinkers

Helpful shopkeepers and a good range of goods (some of which cannot be purchased in a well known local DIY chain store) make spending slightly more on some products worthwhile. A traditional independent hardware shop.

I’ve bought a lot of stuff in Tinkers over the years and spent a fair chunk of cash. It’s my local hardware shop and, to misquote local Brighton Bard Terry Garoghan «if you need a screw, like you sometimes do, then Tinkers is closer than B&Q.» And it’s not just tools and hooks and plungers. There’s gardening stuff, pet supplies and the usual homeware like light bulbs and Tupperware. It’s a useful resource.
But it’s not really a pleasure. One of the benefits of shopping at a local, independent business should be a more personal, friendly passionate service. A cheery hello perhaps and a keenness to help: «are you looking for anything in particular?» as you browse the crowded shelves.
I’m usually willing to swallow higher prices, for that personal touch. Local businesses are precious. But frankly, with Robert Dyas just down the road and numerous superstores in easy reach by car, Tinkers needs to raise its game. What Tinkers needs is a bit more, in that old showbiz phrase, «tits and teeth.» Make it a pleasure to shop her, not a drudge.

My friends live just around the corner from this lovely little shop and use it quite a bit. They have a really good selection of DIY bits and bobs and also some really nice bits of kitchenware. The staff are really helpfull and you can’t help thinking about David Jason as ‘Granville’ in ‘Open All Hours’.
They also have some really good pet paraphernalia such as hide bones, ball throwers and nice big comfy beds.
A very handy place indeed.

I stop by DIY shops to see if there’s anything I can add to my tool collection. I already have a screwdriver and a hammer. But, perhaps, there are more things to be added.
Tinkers sells everything you would want if you want to make tiny repairs and upgrades to the things in your household. And the staff is helpful too, so that’s a plus.
I purchased the smallest sized screwdriver I could find, as the one I currently have is too large for the screw that’s in my phone jack (there’s something wrong with my phone jack in my flat). So that problem is finally solved, thanks to the screwdriver I purchased here.

Every good serial killer should have a shop like this on hand — they sell everything from rope to logs, to hammers to knives, coal, screwdrivers… I could go on but won’t. Suffice to say if there’s a bulb you need to replace and you can’t find the fitting anywhere else this is the place to come.

As a resident of Seven Dials I find Tinkers Homeware ever so handy (no pun intended). Whenever I need to hang something quickly or find something to cook with I don’t possess, I know that I can just run into Tinkers and purchase whatever bobble, gubbin or kitchen trinket I may need for that day.
Divided into Two shops, Tinkers provides services such as key cutting and tailoring, while still offering everyday hardware needs. This might not be the best place to start a home reno project, but it certainly is the right place for the smaller projects that you’ve been putting off around the house.
I’m actually just running up there now to purchase measuring cups and spoons.

Tinkers is actually two shops, occupying next door premises in the heart of Seven Dials. This is really the upmarket version of Ransoms on London Road, and a similarly wide range of goods are available.
One shop seems to concentrate more on ‘classic’ hardware items — paints, nails, sandpaper and the like. The next door shop is more oriented towards general homewares — pet foods, haberdashery, toasters… it is difficult to see how such a wide range of goods is available in two very small shops, but they manage it. The friendly staff will help advise you with anything you need, and although I’m not sure how long it has been there, I get the impression this has been a local institution for some time.

Very friendly, family owned hardware and household appliances business which stretches between two shops, beside one another on the Dyke road.
The hardware shop is quite small so isn’t the best place for bigger jobs and equipment, but suits the needs of home DIY perfectly. There’s a large selection of Hammerite metal paints, perfect for restoring outside metal furniture and bicycles or even painting toy soldiers if that’s what your into?
The home appliances shop next door fits in a large range of invaluable cleaning, cooking and lighting appliances and is serves the needs of most of the seven dials locals fine. One piece of advice though to students or new graduates (because they’re actually way poorer) is that if you’ve got no money, this shop, due to the demographic of the area is a little inflated price wise.

This is a really nice store situated at the Seven Dials. It’s almost a cross between a traditional hardwear shop and a more modern general purpose shop. Has such a huge variety of stock that if you go in there for something it is highly likely that you will leave with it (or, if they don’t you may find yourself leaving with something you didn’t know you needed !)
Stock is arguably more expensive than their rival supermarkets — but you leave with the warm glow that you have supported a local independent store !
Staff are really knowledgeable about their products and will suggest alternatives if they don’t have what you want.