DIY Soho: where to get those essential DIY supplies in Soho

Summer is most definitely over it seems and the long, cold nights are slowly drawing in. Since we'll soon be forgoing lazy, balmy afternoons, lounging in Soho Square in favour of wrapping up in front of the fire, you may be thinking about getting round to starting or perhaps finishing those odd DIY jobs about your home.

Soho isn't the first point of call you would think of when seeking out your DIY supplies, but look a little closer amongst the pubs, bars and restaurants and you will find some DIY gems tucked away.

One of the oldest hardware stores I know of in Soho, has to be Gould, Hopkins and Purvis on D'Arblay Street. Stocking an array of hardware and ironmongery equipment, this little gem feels like it is stuck in a time warp, harking back to the days to when flat pack furniture and power tools were but a twinkle in the handyman's eye. It is chock full of useful items from confusing builders' hardware to picture hooks and sealant. It offers so much more than the B&Qs of the world with its helpful and knowledgeable staff. If you don't know your galvanised spring grips from your grout, then you'll do well to stop here.

Just a short distance from Gould, Hopkins and Purvis, is the Soho branch of Romany's. Situated on Brewer Street, the first Romany hardware store opened in North London in 1925 and specialised primarily in cabinet ironmongery. Since 1992, Romany's expanded into Architectural Ironmongery and has a phenomenal range of items numbering some 14,000 different products. You won't find a giant, DIY superstore in Soho, so the importance of these small, often family run businesses are important to the small community of residents in Soho, when the need to replace a threaded screw or a kitchen tap would mean a heading further afield.

Just outside of Soho on Marylebone Lane, is David Penton & Son, established in 1841 and is the oldest shop on the lane, having traded there for some 170 years! Again, Penton's is not your average DIY store; packed full of tools, plumbing good and hardware and not an orange fleece in sight!  Now with a history as lengthy as this, you'd expect the team to be pretty knowledgeable and you'd be right. The guys here really know their stuff are always on hand to help you pick out just the right tool for the job.

With winter months drawing in, you may also be thinking about getting your boiler serviced or replaced to ensure plenty of toasty evenings and warm baths and we Sohoites needn't look far for the help we need. With free call outs in Soho, DLC Soho Boiler Repair is an ideal point of call. Offering a 30-90 minute response time in Soho and free written quotes and estimates, should you ever find yourself with a boiler emergency, you needn't wait long for help or be left out in the cold when it comes to a transparent price quote.

So you needn't travel far to get your hands on those essential DIY supplies. Once again, it seems Soho has it all! Happy hunting!