When most locksmiths think vans, Lloyd Morgan thinks bikes! In the gridlocked streets of London, the founder of London Locks has built a locksmith business that runs almost entirely on electric cargo bikes and scooters, using canal towpaths, cycle routes and park cut-throughs to avoid the traffic. For Lloyd, two wheels aren’t just greener; it’s about survival, competitiveness, and simply the easiest way to get around London.
From Diesel Engines to Pedal Power
I got into locksmithing back in 2003 after my dad passed away. I used some inheritance money to do a two-week locksmith course with what was then the British Locksmith Association in Tilbury, Essex. I wanted to find a trade with a low barrier to entry where I could work for myself and build something long-term.
Like most locksmiths, I started with a van. I ran vans for about ten years, then moved over to motorbikes because London traffic was getting worse and worse. About five years ago, everything changed again.
Tower Hamlets Council offered businesses a grant of £2,000 towards an e-cargo bike if we took an ICE vehicle off the road. So, I traded in my big BMW motorbike and swapped it for pedal power! That decision completely transformed how we operate.
Today, London Locks has two Dutch electric cargo bikes along with one electric scooter and one remaining ICE scooter. 75% of the business is now electric, and we don’t run any vans at all. As far as I know, we’re the only cycling locksmith company in the UK.
Faster Than Traffic
People always ask whether you can realistically run a locksmith business from a bike. The answer is absolutely yes, in London, bikes beat every other form of transport.
We can use canal networks, parks, cycle routes and shortcuts that vans simply can’t access. While other locksmiths are sitting in traffic or hunting for parking spaces, we’re already on-site and getting the job done.
There’s no congestion charge, no ULEZ, no parking tickets and no delays caused by road closures. Sometimes I can park almost on the traffic warden’s toes and there’s nothing they can do about it.
Commercial customers love it as well. A lot of office buildings allow us to bring the bikes inside, which makes life much easier when carrying equipment into Central London properties.
The public response has been overwhelmingly positive. Customers genuinely like the environmental side of it, but more importantly they love how quickly we arrive. That speed has become one of our biggest USPs.
Prepared Before We Arrive
A lot of locksmiths would probably worry about storage capacity on a bike, but, in reality, I can carry far more than people imagine. The key is preparation. We ask customers to send photos of keys, locks or doors before we attend. That means we already know what we’re walking into and can prepare for every eventuality before leaving the shop.
Instead of carrying random stock around all day, we only take what’s needed for the specific jobs booked in. Because our Bow Road shop is fully stocked, we can tailor every load-out properly.
The bikes themselves are surprisingly capable. Each battery gives around 25 miles of range and we all carry spare batteries with us. My longest day in the saddle was about 53 miles travelling across London to open five Ultion cylinders.
Of course, things don’t always go perfectly. I’ve had batteries run flat mid-job before and needed someone to bring replacements out to me. I sometimes carry a charger now just in case. Most of the longer-distance journeys tend to be commercial work.
Building a Team Around the Concept
What makes the system work is having the right people around you. Bradley Smith has been a locksmith for 20 years and has worked with us for the last five. Mark Winrow has been with me for 15 years, and Ashley Cope joined as an apprentice five years ago. Everyone has embraced the bike concept from day one.
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 MLA-approved 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 worst-case 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 five-star 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.
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.
www.londonlocks.com
07743 247 007
info@londonlocks.com
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.