The Repair Shop's Dominic Chinea speaks out on 'difficult' move from family home

Daily Mirror

a day ago

The Repair Shop expert Dominic Chinea, who has been a staple on the BBC show since 2017, has spoken out on the "difficult" move he made
Dominic Chinea, the cherished metalwork pro from The Repair Shop, has been showered with support after his significant move from Kent to Cornwall.
Dominic, who has graced our screens in The Repair Shop since 2017, excels in all things metallic. In addition to his appearances on the BBC hit show, he runs his own business and undertakes various personal endeavours.
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During a candid Q&A session on his YouTube channel, Dom addressed some of the hottest queries his followers have been itching to ask.
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One such query centered around his relocation to Cornwall from Kent, which Dominic described as "sad" and "difficult".
Facing the lens, he confessed: "Oh, that's a really difficult one to start with. I thought we were going to start with easy questions," reports Gloucestershire Live.
Recounting his days in Kent, he reminisced: "I lived in Kent previously, had a nice garden, nice countryside. It was very nice. But you know what? Why not? Really, moving to Cornwall has meant I've got the house, a lovely field I can turn into a nice garden, and, most importantly, a big barn that is now mine, that is my workshop."
Dominic delved into the financial gain of owning versus renting space: "Previously, I rented my old workshop, and every month, I was giving a lot of money to a landlord to rent the space. Now it's my space, and whatever I do to it, it's mine, and that is enough of a reason for me."
He also openly acknowledged the current state of his new setup: "Yeah, I will admit there's a lot of work to do, but at least it's mine, and eventually I'll get there, and it will be a decent workshop once again."
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Concluding on an optimistic note, he added, "But for the minute, I'm slightly compromised, but I'm working on it. Also, Cornwall is beautiful. It's a lovely place to be."
Elsewhere, Dominic also opened up about the distance between him and his long-time mate John, who has been a key figure in his workshop projects.
Reflecting on a fan's question, the TV personality shared: "Oh, that's sad. John has been my good friend for a long, long time, years and years. I've known him since I was a kid."
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Dominic revealed that relocating to Cornwall has made collaborating with his Essex-based friend John quite challenging.
He elaborated, "He is a mechanic. He's got a job-a real job and a full-time job-and he's busy. He's become more and more busy, and he's struggled to come up and spend time in the workshop, which I completely understand now that I've moved to Cornwall.
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"I'm seven hours away on the West Coast. We are obviously still speaking and texting all the time. Flights are available from Essex down to Cornwall, and I'm trying to convince him to come down and trying to line up both of our schedules to have a good, long weekend down there is tricky, but we're working on it, and I'm trying my best to make it happen."
Dominic concluded with optimism, saying, "So hopefully John will be back on the channel very, very soon. We haven't fallen out. We're still good friends. We still talk."
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Following the Q&A session, fans were quick to show their support in the comments section, with one expressing: "Dom, we appreciate you and all your hard work. It's okay if you miss a video here and there; no one will think less of you."
Another fan expressed admiration, saying, "Hello Dom. That Q&A was magic. You have done such a lot in a short time, and we can see how much you love it. I hope Wendy gets well. Stay safe and well yourself, and the best of luck with all your many fantastic projects!"
A third chimed in with some advice: "Don't burn yourself out, I did that doing too much, it lays you up for months, get yourself a part time helper to take that pressure off. I am better than I was but I still have to take time for myself. You are a fantastic chap, don't make yourself ill."
Another follower praised: "You are an amazing man, Dom, there's no getting away from that. I wish you every success for the future."
One concerned fan shared: "An absolutely amazing episode, Dom! Well done, and do take time for yourself, aka 'keep some reserve' (I write from experience! ). Thank you."