In a world of smartphones, drones and artificial intelligence, it’s always nice to find some things that work just fine as they are and don’t need to change. The good old-fashioned key-cutting service is one of those things. Although you can now find key-cutting services in all sorts of locations, such as supermarkets, shoe repair shops and even those that come to you, the technology itself has hardly changed at all. If you find yourself in need of this tried-and-trusted service in Brighton, then you’re in luck, as we have a list of the best key cutting in Brighton.
Maybe you’ve been meaning to get a spare cut for ages, or maybe you’re sure you haven’t actually lost the other one in the first place. Maybe you’re even making the big step and getting a second key cut for someone special.
Whatever you need, we’ve got you covered. From traditional independent hardware stores to super-convenient out-of-town locations, you’ll find what you need on our list of the best key-cutting services in Brighton.
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Our top picks for the best places for key cutting in Brighton
Best Places for Key Cutting in Brighton
Brogues
- 47 Baker St, Brighton, BN1 4JN
- https://www.instagram.com/brogues1/
Brogues is an independent local business that can be found on Baker Street, just off London Road. Brogues offers the classic shoe repair and key cutting combination, so if you just need a key cut you’re all set, but if you’re also in need of a new heel or some fresh laces then they’ve got you covered. With a tip-top rating of five stars out of five on their Google Maps page, you can be assured of a quality service, with many reviewers citing the high speed and excellent value of their service for both key cutting and shoe repair.
The Store
- 54 Lewes Rd, Brighton, BN2 3HW
A bit further out of town on Lewes Road, you can find The Store, a good old-fashioned hardware store stocking all sorts of household necessities and offering key cutting and other key services. The Store not only cuts standard barrel and mortice keys, but they can also help you out with the programming and duplication of electronic key fobs for your car too. Thanks to its slightly out-of-town location, The Store is one of the most easily accessible locations on our list if you’re travelling by car. There is some paid parking available in the streets just off of Lewes Road near The Store, and there is also a big Sainsbury’s supermarket just a minute or two’s walk up the road which has free parking for customers.
Haines Security Brighton
- 76 St James's St, Kemptown, Brighton, BN2 1PA
- https://www.brightonlocks.co.uk/
Before getting to venues right in the centre of Brighton, one more place you can get your keys cut away from the super-busy city centre is Haines Security over in Kemptown. Haines Security is a locksmith providing a full range of services, including key cutting. With over thirty years of experience in the locksmith trade and an incredible 9.81/10 rating on Checkatrade.com and 4.9/5 from over one hundred reviews on Google Maps, Haines Security is one of the city’s most trustworthy local businesses.
Timpson
- 50 North St, Brighton, BN1 1RH
- 4 Cranbourne St, Brighton, BN1 2RD
- Crowhurst Rd, Hollingbury, BN1 8AS
- https://www.timpson.co.uk/
Without question the most well-known key-cutting brand in the United Kingdom, Timpson has not one, not two, but three stores in Brighton (and that’s not including four more in the Hove & Portslade areas!). Timpson provides key-cutting and shoe-repair services at all three of the above locations. The North Street and Cranbourne Street branches of Timpson are right in the heart of the city, so if you’re travelling straight into the centre and hitting the shops, either of these is a great option.
The third branch listed above is right out of town at the Asda supermarket at Hollingbury. This Timpson store is only a couple of minutes off of the A27, so if you’re travelling in or out of the city by car or just passing by then it’s almost certainly your most convenient option.
Dockerills
- 3a, 3b, 3c, Church St, Brighton, BN1 1UJ
- https://www.dockerills.co.uk/
Dockerills is a proper hardware store, with all sorts of tools, lighting and fittings in stock in their premises on Church Street, just up from the Brighton Dome in the heart of the North Laine district of the city. Amongst the many services Dockerills provide is key-cutting, and the knowledgeable in-store team will have you sorted with a new key in no time. If you’re in the city centre and want to support a local business then head on down to Dockerills and once you’re done you can enjoy the great selection of independent shops, restaurants and pubs of the North Laine.
In a world where technology transforms the world around us and redefines so many of our daily experiences, there remains a certain charm in the simplicity and reliability of traditional services such as key cutting.
While the locations that provide key cutting have developed over time, and can now be found in places such as supermarkets and even automated kiosks, the process itself has barely changed. True to the independent spirit of Brighton, there are plenty of local hardware stores, shoe repair shops and locksmiths ready to provide a high-quality, customer-focused key-cutting service.
If you’re a Brightonian local you might be best served by one of the options that aren’t right in the centre of town. The independent local businesses Brogues and The Store can be found just off London Road and on Lewes Road, respectively. Another local business which also provides a twenty-four-hour locksmithing service is Haines Security, which can be found on St James Street in Kemptown. If you need to go and do a big shop and are after the most convenient option, then Timpson at Asda Hollingbury may well be your best choice.
If you’re visiting the city and just want to get a key cut quickly whilst you’re in town, then Dockerills in the North Laine or either of the Timpson stores on North Street and Cranbourne Street are your best bets.