I caught up with Brian Burr, a seasoned locksmith and proud Taurean, hence his business name, Taurus Locks. With over 16 years in the trade and a lifetime of hands-on graft, it’s a pleasure to feature Brian in his milestone month as he celebrates turning 60.
My Journey into Locksmithing
I left school in 1981 at 16 and started out working in a garden nursery. I’d done bits of work there before I officially left school, but it wasn’t long before my cousin mentioned that the local brick factory was looking for people. I went down on the Friday, and by Monday morning I was working there. I spent the next 27 years working there – brick setting, handmaking bricks, driving forklifts, driving loading shovels, doing maintenance, welding, and repairing machines. I even became the shop steward and did that role for 15 years. It was a solid job and a big part of my life. In 2008, I was made redundant, but I stayed on into 2009 to help decommission the factory – taking apart all the machinery with the maintenance team until the place closed completely.
While I was still there, I saw an advert for the UK Locksmiths Association – a three-day training course in Essex. I went in March 2009, trained up while still employed, and by the end of May I had finished at the factory and received my redundancy money. I decided to give locksmithing a year and see what happened. My wife was a prison officer at the time, and I was using my BMW convertible to get around to jobs for about 18 months. Business picked up, so I bought a Transit Connect van, and it all started to build from there – letting agencies, management companies, and word of mouth.
In October 2009, I got invited to a BNI networking meeting and I’ve been a member ever since. It’s been a massive help – not just for the work but for meeting people I’d never have crossed paths with otherwise, eg solicitors, insurance companies and various business owners. I’ve built up a wide network so if a customer needs a reliable tradesperson, I usually know someone. I’ve tried other networking groups, but BNI feels more structured for business – other groups are more like social clubs.
What I enjoy most about locksmithing is the flexibility. I’m not tied to a rigid Monday to Friday, 9 to 5 life. In the early days, it felt like I was constantly chasing the next job, not knowing where it was coming from. But now I’m established, I set my own hours. I still get callouts, but most of the work is pre-planned – lock changes, mechanism issues etc.
What I Would Change
If there’s one thing I’d change in the industry, it’s the lack of regulation. Some so-called locksmiths charge ridiculous prices – £1500 for something that should be £200. There’s no regulation like there is with plumbers or electricians.
Advice to Newbies
When new locksmiths enter the trade, it’s easy to get misled thinking they’ll earn loads straight away because someone on the training course told them that, but it’s a slow build. I’ve seen many newbies come and go. I even meet some of the new local locksmiths for a coffee and try to help them. Course tutors advise them to approach letting agents but it’s tough to get on their books if they already have an experienced locksmith they trust.
When I first started there were 4 or 5 locksmiths near me – now there are only two who have been established longer than me. Over the years I’ve seen many newbies come and go.
It’s easy to become obsessed by Google rankings but I don’t rely on them, I rarely check my rank. The £49 callout ‘so called locksmiths’ dominate the top positions anyway. My success so far is due to my good reputation and repeat business from regular clients.
Relationship Building
My business is built on having strong relationships with letting agents, house builders, and property managers. Keys are easily lost, and I suppose I make a living from that bit of misfortune. One site manager once left an entire box of keys on top of a skip next to the site office while he searched for the office key. He forgot to move the box, the skip was taken, and suddenly 14 houses needed new locks. That was a good day for me! I don’t deal with safes or vehicles – I stick to door mechanisms, cylinders, locks, hinges, tilt-and-turns, and sliding patio doors. I don’t undertake full-glass replacements or do entire houses, but I’ll replace glass panels on a door if I’m doing a lock change. I use brands like Versa and Asec and I get my supplies mainly from Duffels, JMA, Kings Solutions, Aldridge and Davenport-Burgess.
Bargain Hunt
When I first started, I bought a cheap key machine for about £300. Eventually, the local hardware shop closed, and I bought their machines and a bunch of blanks for £500 – an absolute bargain. Now I’ve got five machines between my workshop and my van. One was even given to me by a cobbler friend. Most of my equipment has been picked up second-hand – auctions, closures – I’ve been in the right place at the right time. I’ve still got stock from a hardware shop auction I went to eight years ago—everything from old mortice locks to random plumbing bits. I stored it all in my mother-in-law’s garage and sold off what I didn’t need. The rest still comes in handy even now. I only had three days of locksmith training at the start – I’ve learned everything else on the job. I’m hands-on. Working in the brick factory taught me how to use welders, plasma cutters – so I naturally took to fixing mechanisms and figuring things out. Local locksmiths often call me for advice or parts – I’ve helped most of the ones in the area at some point.
Mr Burrlocks & Marketing
I nearly called the business Burrlocks, but it didn’t sound quite right on the phone if you know what I mean! Still, some of my customers call me Mr Burrlocks. I didn’t want a silly name for my business, so I chose Taurus Locks being a Taurean. I even designed my own logo – with just lines and curves – I’ve improved on it a few times, but it’s been the same for 14 years now. It’s on my T-shirts and my branding. It works! My customers love it too.
I post on Facebook when I get the chance – nothing flashy. My work is about relationships, trust, and doing a good job. That’s what keeps me going.
I’m turning 60 in June and going on a Mediterranean cruise with my wife to celebrate. I’ve no plans to retire – maybe scale things down a bit – but I’ll keep going as long as I can.