Cobblers Nest

If you have a pair of shoes or boots that you really love and they need repairing, take them to Eric. Tell him they are special to you and he will do a rally speecial job, He once renovated a 15 year old pair of winter boots for me and they lasted another 5 years. He has just put on tips and heels on another pair of boots you would now think they were new. He is truly the best shoe maker/repairer I have ever come accross

The owner Erik is the best man in the neighborhood :) I read he was very skilled and had clients from all over London, went there thinking his services would be expensive and that I would have to wait for days and I couldn't be more wrong. He took care of my shoes and boots right there and then, closed the shop later than he should have because of me and the price was more than reasonable!! Amazing skills and super nice!!!!!!!!!! His son is just as nice as he is, beautiful family and old school charming family business. Recommended 100%

I had a couple of pairs of work shoes for repair and the man was as good as gold initially. Undoubtedly a great cobbler but his customer service skils were lacking when I had a question about the amount he had charged me. It was like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde - from being a really nice bloke it was if I had insulted all of his entire being and that of his family. All because I thought a mistake may have been made. Its a shame but because of this I wont be going back there and I cant really recommend him.

I would definitely recommend ! Second time I have my heels repaired there, quite cheap and the work is perfect. Moreover when I needed the repairs to be done in a very short amount of time, he accepted and I had them done in 2 hours !

I found this cobbler's on this website, and was a bit concerned with the mixed reviews. I risked it, and definitely paid off! Lovely man, very reasonable (£12 to repair the heels of my boots) and very quick- not sure if this was because it was quite a simple job, but still, I was very impressed! I would definitely recommend. THANK YOU!

I took a pair of boots in last week as I needed a new popper putting on and he did it there and then for me, at a fraction of the price quoted to me by other cobblers nearby. He was extremely charming, and the shop is amazing, his handmade shoes look fantastic, I would definitely recommend him for any repairs, he was great!

Name: Hannah
Location: Bankside

Lovely place, lovely man, great service.

I rarely write reviews but on this occasion it is necessary. I've used this service for over a year since it was local and convenient. In the beginning it was reasonably good and priced. However, in the last 6 months things have deteriorated. It took increasingly longer for things to be repaired (up to a month), the cobbler started to persuade me that he looks after his customers and takes pride in quality, although I could not see how the higher prices were justified whilst I waited longer for repairs and the quality was not always perfect (I asked for some things to be redone). The negative reviews here are representative - I've had these experiences too. Recently I collected some items and was astonished to be asked for more money than was on the tickets, particularly because I was not called before collection to agree a new price. The cobbler started arguing in an annoyed tone, despite me pointing out it is not unreasonable to contact customers to agree a new price. I was in the shop much longer than anticipated as he tried to persuade me to pay more. In the end I felt intimidated by his unfriendly and uncustomary manner. In the end just wanted to pay and leave to recover my belongings. In all my years of shopping I have never had such a negative experience (even abroad). I've never known anything like it. I don't recommend this shop and will not return.

By far and away the best cobbler I've ever had. He, and his new apprentice, make your shoes better than new. Over the year's he's resoled and reheeled many different pairs of shoes for me, which go on to last for years afterwards, only ever wearing out slowly, not falling off. Eric is a craftsman. He's even repaired leather bags for me and made a handle for a 100 year old suitcase that really looks the part. The only thing that took a bit of getting used to was his sometimes slow pace and the fact he doesn't call to tell you they're ready. I always come to collect them a few days later than he's suggested, and haven't been disappointed for a very long time. But when you're dealing with such a craftsman I think it's fair to wait a bit longer, good things come to those who wait afterall.

Twice I've been in and he's told me how upset he is about some of the harsh comments he's read online here, so I promised I'd write a glowing review.

Very disappointed. Over-priced, poor workmanship, rude and unprofessional. I asked him to repair a pair of boots as the heel had worn thin (@£40). When I got the 'repaired' boots home I was shocked to find the inside was slashed with bits sticking out, making them impossible to wear. I brought them back to show him and he insisted that this was 'wear and tear' and refused to take responsibility for his work, describing my complaint as 'nonsense'. This is not how a decent tradesman should treat a customer who has parted with lots of money for items from him. At the same time I collected a repair job on two bag straps (£25) - when I came into the shop they had not even been done, and he rushed through the job in 5 minutes while I waited. By the time I got home the strap on one of the bags had snapped in two. I am reporting him to trading standards. Avoid, learn from my mistake!

I had lived in Borough for 6 years, I had used Eric when he was on the high street and then continued when he moved next door to where I lived. He has always been "laid back" but still did his job to high standard. He made "new" a completely battered heel of my favourite old boots. I wouldn't however give him quick jobs, as in past experience he is "old School" and likes to do most jobs by hand.


Name: Kiki Horne
Location: London

VERY DISSAPOINTED, I took an old binoculars case here and he assured me he could do anything with leather and it would take about a week. Every time I called he told me it would be another few days but it would look great when finished. If I hadn't Phoned to check each time I would have been travelling there constantly. Finally after a month he told me to call at 4:00pm as he had to finish polishing the leather. When I arrived the stitching was no where near complete (it was only just started). When I said he shouldn't have told me to call he started having a go at me about how busy he was. Incidentally while I was in there a woman was having the same experience trying to get her handbag mended. She had to leave without it. Would I use him again? Absolutely not! Would I recommend him to anyone? Absolutely not!

Name: Mark
Location: London

My experience with the Cobblers Nest was also negative having to wait weeks for my boots to be repaired and when I arrived to collect them they had not even be started. I came back later in the week as requested and was foolish enough to pay £60 to have the zips replaced. They also said they would re-glue the soles but since these fell apart two weeks later I assume they didn't bother. Naturally I am the idiot here for paying without questioning this but don't anyone else fall into this trap!

My experience of The Cobblers nest was very different from the majority of these reviews, it was bad.
I took a vintage bag to be relined, and was told it would take a week. I went in to collect it on the due date, to find my bag hanging up, not even started.
I gave him the benefit of the doubt, and another week went by, this time I rang ahead, to find out that it was still not ready.
He told me it was because the material he had ordered hadn't arrived from America.
I waited and waited until finally just over a month it was completed.
The job he did wasn't good, the material he used was clearly taken from old curtains as it smells of cigarettes and febreeze. And he had done a shoddy job with the zip, as after a couple of months after his relining it had come apart from the bag.
I had to pay full price, dispite the delay. Truely disapointing, be warned!

Brilliant place! The man truly works miracles on my shoes, as I wear them out terribly, and they always come back sparkling! cannot fault him, very polite and understanding.

I've just collected a pair of boots from The Cobblers Nest in SE1. For £25 the cobbler patched two holes, replaced the patch on another, re-glued the soles and built up the sole on one, where it had cracked. The workmanship is superb. The best way I can describe the patching technique is a very discreet soldering job.

So, give him your business as there aren't too many like him around anymore.

A word of warning though. When I went to pick the shoes up, 5 days after the stated 'ready' day, they weren't. This was due to the fact that he'd taken it upon himself to take the old patch out (I didn't ask him to do that),replace it and build up the cracked sole. His explanation: ''I hate cowboys''. I actually gave him £10, though he only asked for an extra £5.

I'm giving him 9 out of 10 because I read this, another site, and was prepared for a potential delay. Like the other reviewer, I'd really like to give him 10 out of 10.

Even though he might be a bit out of the way for you, it's worth making the trip.

I read a short review of Cobblers Nest in a local forum praising it for the quality of workmanship on some womens' leather wear, belts, bags, etc. I went there hoping he would be a proper cobbler and could repair some shoes of mine ( I hadn't been able to find a local good shoe repairer for a couple of years), he is so good at his art that he can even make you a pair of shoes, a real cobbler of old fashioned high quality repairs, standards and service. Do not expect your repair of shoes immediately or even the next day but your short wait will be worthwhile. He is currently rebuilding a pair of my shoes that are at least thirty years old, I popped in this morning to see if they were ready and they were not but he explained to me the problems he had found and the measures ha has taken to restore them to their previous glory.
I would have given him 10/10 but for the fact that you cannot be sure that the shoes will be repaired in the given time, you may have to wait a day or two longer than you expect but a small price to pay for such quality