Where do the companies in London buy their tools ?
Almost all of it comes from specialists, delivered by a van direct from a warehouse!
Two generations ago, my Grandfather (a Londoner) had an account at a local tool shop, and about 90 percent of what he wanted came from there. They had huge stocks of everything from hand tools to engineers consumables - drills, taps, dies, milling cutters, the lot. As a 'trade' customer you got a discount and got most of your stuff there. Kind of what you would expect!
One generation ago, most of the London shops had vanished. You still had good tool shops in all the other towns, big or small, but none really survived in London. Firstly because of the rent and rates, and secondly because most of the manufacturing was moving away from London anyway. I think Buck and Ryan in Tottenham Court Road was the last to go, but the customer profile had shifted and you wouldn't get milling cutters there towards the end.
Now, even a lot of the provincial tool shops have gone. Those shops were usually in High Streets, but they've been replaced by cheaper premises on industrial estates. I live now in a relatively rural area. I can get some tools, fixings such as nuts, bolts and screws, engineers supplies such as drills taps and dies, and even materials, within about 5 miles, but... they all come from different specialists. Manufacturers buy from those specialists too, and probably have a van delivering!
You also have to remember that London was never the manufacturing capital of the country. Centuries ago, the City Livery Companies made life so difficult for new starters that manufacturing flourished elsewhere (Birmingham for example) but not really London. Most of the manufacturing that was there was in 'new' industries, but even most of that has moved further away now.
A couple of weeks ago I was in a local engineers (turning specialist). Only a small firm but they had vending machines full of drill bits, tool inserts and everything. Whenever somebody wanted something they swiped a card with the job number and the machine dispensed the item. When the machine runs low a guy appears from the supplier and tops it up!
