About Stephen Fretwell

My story

My name is Stephen Fretwell, and I am a Doncaster locksmith. This is my story.

I was born on a farm on the outskirts of Barnsley. My family are now farmers based in North Lincolnshire. When I left school at 16, I began work the following day on the farm.

I didn’t realise it then, but it was a great place to learn what I now do as a Doncaster locksmith. My father often accused me of “meddling” when I was young, but stuff intrigued me. I remember taking two used bikes apart at a young age to create one fast one!

When working the land, I felt it was my job to get as fast from one side of the field to the other. I wanted to finish the job before the weather turned bad. The downside to this approach was that I often broke the farm machinery! Again, Dad was there because “I broke it, I had to fix it” was his motto.

As you can imagine, I have become quite good at taking broken things apart and putting them back together again. In the locksmith industry, you are expected daily to work out what the issue is and then have to fix it. Little did I realise how I laid the foundations to be a Doncaster locksmith in those formative years as a teenage farmer.

Locksmith training & accreditation

In my late thirties, my circumstances altered. I needed a career change, and while considering options, I stumbled across the locksmith industry. I initially bought into a franchise, as franchises were “big” in those days and a popular way to quickly access an industry and have the additional support of a company behind you. But within 18 months, I set off on my own.

I received my initial training from the franchise itself, but I felt I needed more, and that was when I got my first real bit of luck. I was very fortunate to meet a gentleman called Bennie Wells, the ‘God’ of the locksmith world, and I managed to secure one-to-one training with the guru himself. Those two weeks with Bennie changed everything, and I fell in love there and then with locksmithing.

I quickly realised how much I enjoyed the world of locksmithing. Every day, I learned something new (I still do) and excitedly told everybody around me; I think I became a little boring to anyone listening—but nobody said so!

As expected, I am a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) member of The Federation of Small Businesses and an Accredited Locksmith. These all hopefully add credibility to me and my business.

Stephen Fretwell Doncaster, locksmith

The locksmith industry is different from what everybody imagines… which is people losing keys. That aspect is a small part of an average working week. The vast majority of my work is the repair of composite and uPVC doors. I am upgrading door locks, attending evictions, burglaries, and domestics, repairing uPVC window locks and handles, replacing mortice, garage, shed, code, and so much more!

It is a great job, and I don’t regret choosing it as a career; hopefully, it will take me to retirement one day, but not too soon.

Here to help & advise

One aspect of my job that I enjoy is meeting new people. I am very customer-focused and appreciate that customers trust me to secure their property, possessions and family. I take customer service very seriously, and hopefully, my locksmith reviews are proof of that; please take time to read them.

Please call me for door, window, garage, or shed lock security advice. I offer honest, impartial advice and a competitive, no-obligation quote. I look forward to hearing from you.