I don't know how available they are in the UK, but I'm a big fan of Danner boots. Most, if not all of their styles are available in wide, a lot of them are recraftable so the sole, shank, heel counter, and liner can be replaced either by sending them back to Danner or by a competent local cobbler. They have a lot of options and I'm pretty sure at least one of them is somewhat similar to a classic timberland.

I have a pair of Danner lights with some hard miles on them hiking and close to daily wear. I got about 4 years out of them before it was time for a resole and the uppers are still in pretty good shape, and I expect to get at least another 4 years out of them.

IMO, no shoe is truly BIFL if you wear them regularly, especially anything that's going to get put to serious use and abuse. Keeping them clean, the leather conditioned, letting them dry and rotating your footwear will go a long way towards extending their usable lifespan, and getting quality recraftable boots, while a bigger upfront cost, will save you money in the long run.

Have a look at Hanwag Doublestitched. In general look for welted / resoleable / doublestitched construction. Depending on your age you can expect the uppers to last the rest of your life if cared for, but not the soles. It may run expensive, but consider how long it's amortized over, see also Vimes Boots Theory.

Grenson, the Radley WP boots look great and are basically what everyone wishes the Timberlands still are.

There is a guy on YouTube who cuts boots in half, (Rose Anvil) a good option for research. I think I heard about Grensons from him.

Edit: I’ve just seen Trickers do boots, if you are near Northampton that may be a good option although they are expensive, they will list your lifetime and your children’s. I’m still wearing my Trickers Oxfords I bought 25 years ago.

Jim Green boots are a good option, particularly for wide toe box in some of their lasts. No shops for trying on though. But they are made with quality leather, and they contribute to a good cause.

Their boots are made with stitch-down construction, which can be resoled by any cobbler.

Have a look at what solovair does. They are the cooperative that own the original Doc Martens factory and make them as they used to be.

I'm researching building my own because I'm so fed up with only being able to find garbage. Good luck in your journey. I haven't built my own yet, but all I lack is the time to focus on a project.

Also, take a look at Rose Anvil's channel. He cuts work boots in half and discusses the build quality.

Not the kind of boots you're looking for but just thought I'd share a related user experience:

My Haix Airpower P3 combat boots lasted me 20 years. They possibly could have been re-soled but I replaced them with a new pair recently and I went with Haix again because of my history and positive experience with them. Now I got the Black Eagle Athletic 2.0 in green.

I don't have a good suggestion for you, but I do have those Timberland boots. Timberland really is a fashion choice above all. Their products don't really stand up to rough use.

Oh, you're in luck. The UK makes the most durable boots on the planet

• https://www.vegetarian-shoes.co.uk/

I'd recommend the Euro Safety Boot as a starting point.

Stick to anything with the "vegetan micro" uppers. It's the synthetic leather that the luxury yachts and cars switched-to decades ago, because it's wayy more durable than leather. And (nearly) zero maintenance.

Here's a review of their airseals after 7 years of abuse.

I've heard good things about Altberg. Apparently they make boots for the police. I heard of them from a friend who was on the police, and loved her boots so much she sprung for their bespoke service.

Back when I was still buying things from the US, I got a pair from the Thursday Boot Company. Definitely solid, functional, well-built, and stylish.

Probably nowhere to try them on, but they were great on returns when I ordered the wrong size.

I had a pair of Hanwag hiking boots for 30 years. When they finally died mid-trail, I did enough damage to them getting back to the car that they couldn't be resoled. After trying every other boot brand on the market, I tried on a new set of Hanwags and felt like I was putting on some comfy old slippers. (With great support and solidity).

I expect these to last as long as the last, by which point I'll be in my late 80s, and hard-pressed to do any more hiking.

I used to be a boot fitter and I have some experience with leather craft

The other reply that recommended retractable boots is spot on, especially when they mention that no shoe can truly be a lifetime investment if you’re wearing it every day and putting in real work in it. The sole wears down faster than the uppers, so resoling the shoe will buy you more years.

I had a pair of danner acadias that I wore daily to work on asphalt and concrete, I got them resoled after 1 year. They’re still kicking but expect to get no more than 3-4 resolves out of a pair of boots before they’re goners.

Your price range should be 300-600 usd for a brand new pair, but also consider buying used. A lot of people get bored of their boots before their lifetime is up.

Altberg boots https://altberg.co.uk/ are the best boots I've worn, and they're made in the UK and Italy. They even have a resoling service.