Frequently Asked Questions

It is a wonderfully open question, and the honest answer is that we repair almost any type of footwear. Over the years we have invested continually in our workshop, our equipment and our people, and in that time we have taken on an extraordinary range of jobs, including a good many that other cobblers had already turned away.

Our craftspeople each have their own specialist areas, from welted construction to leatherwork and stitching, so a job that puzzles one of us will usually be solved by another. We do have practical boundaries, and we will always tell you honestly if something sits outside them, but those boundaries are further out than most people expect.

We also take on sympathetic repairs, where the aim is to keep the character and patina of a well loved pair rather than make them look factory fresh.

Absolutely. Goodyear welted footwear is our original area of expertise and it remains the work closest to our hearts. A properly welted shoe is built to be resoled again and again, and a good pair will comfortably outlive several sets of soles.

Brand is not a problem. Whether it is Barker, Cheaney, Loake, Tricker's, Jeffery-West, Berwick or something rather more obscure, the construction is what matters and we know it intimately.

We do prefer to speak with customers about welted work before we begin. There are choices to be made around leather, rubber, stitching and finish, and a short conversation makes certain we deliver exactly what you had in mind.

Yes. We are proud to be an official Meindl repair specialist, but our hillwalking work extends well beyond a single brand. We hold the lasts, the adhesive systems, the presses and the know how to take on most makes of walking and hiking boot.

Resoling, rand repairs, stitching, eyelet and hook replacement, re-waxing and full refurbishment are all routine here. If you have a favourite pair that has carried you up a few hills, there is a very good chance we can give them another life.

You can read more on our Meindl boot repairs page, and the same postal service applies to any brand.

Yes, and it is the area we are most excited about right now. Climbing shoe resoling is precise work, arguably the most precise in the trade. The old rubber has to come off without damaging the rand, and the new sheet has to be bonded, shaped and edged to hold a millimetre of rock.

We resole using genuine Vibram climbing compounds, so your shoes go back on the wall performing the way they were designed to. We can advise on which rubber suits the way you actually climb, whether that is technical edging, all round work or pure friction on steep ground.

Our aim is to cut lead times for climbers right across the UK. See our climbing shoe resoling page for the full detail.

We offer a deep clean service alongside full restoration of colour and waxes, which together will bring most footwear back to something very close to its original standard.

One honest caveat. Your shoes will still carry their history in places, and we think that is rather the point. A creased vamp or a softened toe is the record of where they have been. Our aim is to restore condition and protection without erasing character, though if you would prefer a more thorough refinish, simply say so and we will talk through what is achievable.

Three good reasons, and they tend to reinforce one another.

The first is sustainability. Repairing extends the life of something you already own and avoids the materials, energy and waste involved in manufacturing a replacement and discarding the original.

The second is cost. With well made footwear in particular, a repair is very often a fraction of the price of a comparable new pair, and it restores both the function and the appearance.

The third does not show up on any spreadsheet. If a pair has been with you through a great deal, repairing them keeps that history going rather than ending it. Good for the planet, good for your wallet, and good for your attachment to a trusty pair of soles.

Not all footwear is built with repair in mind, and repairability comes down largely to materials and construction. Leather shoes are generally far more repairable than heavily synthetic ones.

Resoling, re-heeling, stitching and work on minor damage are all routine, and good leather footwear can very often be brought back close to its original condition.

Some modern footwear is more difficult. Where soles are moulded or glued directly to the upper, as on many trainers, traditional repair methods have less to work with. Even then it is worth asking rather than assuming, because we can usually find a way, and there is no charge for our opinion.

It depends on the work. Straightforward re-heeling or resoling may take a few days, while stitching, leatherwork or a full restoration will take longer. Workshop workload plays its part too, so if you are working to a deadline, do ask before sending anything in and we will give you a realistic answer rather than an optimistic one.

What we will not do is rush a job to hit a date. Speed is the enemy of a good finish, and we would sooner decline work than hurry it. As Andy is known for saying, "if it's not right, it's wrong!"

Yes, and a great many customers do. Complete the enquiry form, send your footwear to us, and we will return it to you once the work is finished. It suits anyone who cannot easily reach the shop, whether you are at the other end of the country or simply cannot spare the trip. We have repaired footwear for customers all over the world.

It is a modern arrangement for an old craft: your shoes get the care they need without you leaving your doorstep.

Start with our repair enquiry form and we will be in touch to talk it through before you post anything.

We will tell you before any work begins. The reasons vary, from extensive damage to structural problems beyond rescue, or materials that simply cannot be worked with.

Where that happens we will explain plainly why, and if it is helpful we will suggest what to look for in a replacement based on how you wear them and what you need from them.

It is worth saying that this is unusual. Andy has a considerable reputation for restoring shoes and boots that other cobblers had already turned down, so do get an opinion before writing a pair off. The Ingmans magic is a real thing.