The Repair Shop: Dean Westmoreland restores WWII boots
Master cobbler Dean Westmoreland has become a key expert of The Repair Shop team since joining in 2021. Hailing from Yorkshire, Dean lovingly restores shoes and footwear to their former glory and it's been something he has loved doing for many years.
From clown shoes to war boots, Dean embraces all kinds of footwear repairs. He said: "It's always a challenge because every pair has a different story."
But his love of crafting and repairing shoes has left The Repair Shop cobbler with a permanent injury after several machinery accidents during his career. Dean runs his own business away from the show in Yorkshire where The Repair Shop fans walk in and chat about the latest episode.
What does Dean get up to when he's not in the barn? This is what we know about his life away from the show.
Dean Westmoreland's career and business outside of The Repair Shop
Dean started his career as a footwear specialist at JJB Sports before becoming an apprentice shoemaker.
Dean admitted he became a cobbler by accident after applying to work in a local shop without realising it was a cobbler. He soon fell in love with the craft.
After racking up a decade of experience in the industry and becoming a master cobbler, Dean opened Yorkshire Sole in 2017. Dean was invited by The Repair Show crew to carry out shoe
Dean was a huge fan of the show before joining and initially thought some scenes were staged. To his surprise, upon joining, he discovered that the restorations genuinely do take place in the barn as depicted on TV.
Thanks to his success on the show, fans love to pop into his Yorkshire Sole shop to enjoy a chat and find out more about the show.
Dean's work has left him permanently injured
While Dean loves his work, it's fair to say he has also suffered for his art physically. He previously caught his thumb in some machinery and permanently changed its shape.
“I have a squared-off thumb,” says Dean, who also suffers with hand ache at the end of a long day of cobbling. “This thumb has been caught on the machine so many times that it's now squared off.”
Is Dean Westmoreland married?
Dean Westmoreland is currently engaged to his fiancée Leigh after popping the question to her at Betty's Tea Rooms in York in March 2018. With photos of the engagement, Dean wrote: "She said yes!
"None of my achievements over the last 7 years would have been possible without this lady and her love & support. I'm a lucky man."
Dean and Leigh live together with their sons Oscar and Otis in Yorkshire. The Repair Shop expert doesn't share much about his private life on his social media, but he does share some photos of his fun family life.
He says his sons are his biggest fans. “They’re quite young, so it’s still exciting for them,” he said. “They’re proud but I think as they get older, they will be a tad embarrassed.”
