THE Trader of the week this week is Chris Westbury of C. Westbury Shoe Repair and Key Cutting.

The shop is based in the Homend of Ledbury and so central to all the town.

It has been a fixture in the town in its current location for nine years although the business has been running for over 30 years.

It all began when Chris left school in Malvern as a 16 -year-old and undertook a YTS (Youth Training Scheme). Chris learnt all about shoe repairs in a five year period and sadly the man he had been working for went bankrupt.

Chris decided to take on most of the specialist equipment needed for shoe repairs and key cutting and set up on his own.

The shop in Homend is managed by his good friend Matt Morris, who Chris pays tribute to for making the business a success.

They take care and pride in their work, hand stitching shoes for repair.

“We don’t use staples here,” said Chris.

It is this attention to detail and quality which has made Chris and Matt popular in Ledbury and they now offer a wide range of services for the town.

If you want a trophy engraving, Chris can do it for you, using the latest technology or he can cut almost any key to within a hair’s breadth of accuracy.

They also do household and vehicle keys and watch repairs.

One of the weirdest requests Chris has had is to have a spade engraved.

Chris has recently qualified as a locksmith and plans to start operating a locksmiths business in the coming months. A mobile service will include vehicle and household keys cut, as well as some general locksmith work coming in the next few months once the van is fitted out.

“It was a natural progression for me to do locksmithing,” said Chris.

Ledbury has been good for Chris and the business.

“Ledbury is beautiful place and we have a lot of repeat custom. I think after covid people are more keen to shop locally and support local stores.”

You can find out more about Chris’s business by logging onto the shop’s Facebook page or by calling the business on 01531 632 001