Brian Barton and Matt Baldwin in the long-standing repair garage

A FAMILY which has a run a motorcycle repair shop for almost half a century have told the business they love is harder than ever as bikers avoid London.

Matt Baldwin at Burwin Motorcycles in the Essex Road said his normal clientele had been affected by traffic measures including low traffic neighbourhoods.

He said: “It’s got a lot harder to run a business round here. Islington’s cutting the parking down, there’s all the road closures. A lot of motorcyclists don’t want to come into London any more, more and more people saying they’re moving out and it’s harder for them.”

While closing the garage is not currently on the cards, Mr Baldwin, who commutes on his motorbike from Epping in Kent each day, said he could not be sure about the future.

“I’m not 100 per cent sure. I’ve had a really good living out of it, but I tried for my eldest not to get into the game. I don’t know how long it’s going to last and I could see this coming a few years ago.”

For now, however, he is looking forward to Burwin celebrating its 50th anniversary in four years time, alongside his double act and fellow “grease monkey” Brian Barton, who has worked there for 18 years.

He said: “All I’ve ever known is fixing motorbikes and rabbiting to customers all day. If you sit here you wouldn’t be impressed with the language but you’d see that most customers come here, not just to get their bikes fixed, but to talk.
“It’s like a mothers’ meeting some days – I know a lot of my customers lives inside and out.”

It has been a family affair since its inception in 1977. His mother and father, Ann and Martin Baldwin, only put the grease rags down ten years ago after more than 30 years at the workshop while his eldest son Reece Baldwin started working there full time 12 years ago. Mr Baldwin himself first picked up a wrench in 1985.

Now 53, he said: “It’s all I’ve ever known. I’ve worked here so long, I’ve known all the customers for so long, some even remember me in shorts and I’m 53 now. A lot of them are friends more than customers – I get invited to their weddings. It’s not the normal style of shop – a mechanics garage like this is where customers become friends, and they trust us. They know we’d never see them wrong.”

Toying with the idea that he could have chosen a different path in life, he added: “It’s more of a habit now isn’t it? I’ve got no musical ear and two left feet, there’s nothing else I could do!”

His parents still pop in from time to time while his father, now 77, still works on motorbikes at home. His sister Ashleigh is also involved in the family business, as a bookkeeper.