Roller shutters, or looking after the shop front?

Posted on 21 September 2015

A lot of shopkeepers ask us about roller shutters — the metal shutters that pull down over the front at night. We do not fit roller shutters; we are joiners, and we look after the shop front itself. But we get asked our view often enough that it is worth writing down.

There is no argument that a solid roller shutter keeps people out. If you are on a rough stretch and you have had the window put through more than once, a shutter is an understandable choice, and we would not tell you otherwise.

What they do to the front

The trouble is what they do to the street and to the shop front behind them. A row of solid metal shutters makes a parade look closed and unloved, even in the daytime, and it does nothing for passing trade. Some councils will not allow solid shutters in conservation areas for that reason, and ask for an open-grille type instead. Fitting the runners also means drilling into the shop front, and we have seen plenty of good timber fronts damaged by a shutter put in badly.

Quieter options

If security is the worry, there are gentler options than a full solid shutter: toughened or laminated glass in the lower panes, an open grille that still lets the window be seen, or simply keeping the timber front sound so it is not the weak point. We are happy to fit toughened or laminated glass as part of looking after the front.

Our honest view

If you genuinely need to shut the front away every night, a shutter may be the answer — but get an open type where you can, and have it fitted so it does not wreck the timber. If the real problem is a tired, rotten front that looks like an easy target, repairing it and keeping it cared-for does more for the shop than a shutter does. A front that looks looked-after gets less trouble.

If you want a hand with the timber side of your shop front, email info@premiumshopfront.co.uk or see our shop front repairs page. We cover London and the South East.