Latest news with #carboot
The Sun
28-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
I'm a car boot sale pro and found a £600 gem for just a tenner – I even managed to haggle seller down more
CAR boot sales can be a treasure trove for bargain hunters, if you know what to look for. Among the mountains of used toys, mismatched mugs, and bric-a-brac, there are hidden gems that are worth serious cash. 5 5 And nobody knows that better than thrifty Mary Hagan, from North Lanarkshire, Scotland. She picked up her love for car boot sales from her parents, visiting Paddy's Market in Glasgow every week as a family before it was closed down by the city council in 2009. She said: "I loved it and was very sad to see it close, as were loads of others. "It was a big talking point in Glasgow years ago and families and friends would meet to show their bargains off. "I even got my prom dress there for high school. It was a £5 bargain but I felt amazing in it. "Times were hard then and although my mum worked, my dad didn't due to his health but it didn't stop us ever looking good." Now, the 48-year-old loves nothing more than scouring car boot sales and charity shops in her local area. "I've had loads of bargains over the years", she told Fabulous. "I hardly ever buy anything new. But I love it as it saves things going to the landfill, and it's better for your pocket. "Also, with the way things are going, you need every penny you can get to survive." I made £271 in a day of selling at a car boot sale & my mate did £130 - I left with half a car's worth of new bits too If she's at her caravan holiday home, Mary ventures through to the Silloth boot sale in Cumbria - which she hails as a "money town where you're guaranteed the best". And it's here that she bagged a £600 designer gem for just £8. The tan Mulberry Alexa satchel was wrapped in a dust bag when Mary stumbled across it towards the end of the day. After sharing her find on TikTok (@mazzah77), she said: "I asked if I could have a look. The seller said 'of course' and I knew instantly I was onto a winner. "I could tell it was genuine right away. It's real leather, and the insides, the emblems, and condition are all spot on. 5 5 5 "I asked how much and the seller had said because it was the end of day £10. "Inside I was like 'wow I'm definitely taking it anyway' but the Glaswegian in me knew to haggle. I mean, who goes to a car boot and doesn't haggle? It's part of the excitement. "So we agreed on £8. I was delighted and walked away Googling it straight away to realise a pre-loved Mulberry bag the exact same was fetching £600. "I don't know if I will resell or keep it, it's not my usual style so who knows - if the price is right!" She adds: "It's always worthwhile going to car boots and charity shops as you just never know what you will find. "Just remember to rummage and haggle." The nine best items to find at car boot sales Self-professed 'Car Boot Queen' Ellie Macsymons, from NetVoucherCodes, has revealed the nine items you should hunt out at car boot sales that could sell for hundreds of pounds: Ellie says: "Car boot sales are the perfect place to spot a deal. Often sellers don't know what kind of treasure they have right under their nose, and often sell luxury items for a fraction of their price. "If you know what you're looking for, you could resell some of these items for hundreds of pounds, giving you an extra boost coming into summer."
BBC News
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Gloucester car boot sale set for return after eight-month wait
Traders will be able to return to a Gloucester car boot sale in July after the site's new operator was Boot Sales has been named as the new operator of Gloucester's Hempstead Meadow car boot, which has been closed since November regular traders have expressed concerns over how long it took for the car boot sale to Williams, who has been a regular at the car boot selling fruit and vegetables since 2008, believes the long closure has had a detrimental impact. "We were more than disappointed, we were devastated," said Mrs Williams."Now the summer has started and the other car boots have started up [but] they haven't got the earning potential Gloucester has because Hempstead is a purpose-built site."Louise Dodsworth has been going to the car boot for years as a buyer and said she was concerned about the loss of the social aspect for older people."A lot of people were saying that's the only time they are going to get out and about so they weren't going to see anyone all week, which I thought was really sad," she said. 'City is losing out' Gloucester City Council closed the car boot over the winter for work to the site and because the lease was up for renewal. Two previous operators of the car boot, Reg Daldry and Bob Newby, put in a bid to run it but their applications were turned Newby said it was a "slow process" which was to be "expected" but felt the council wanted too much control over the site was advertised at £145,000 a year, but Mr Newby claimed it cost about £45,000 a year when he ran the car boot sales before the Covid-19 Daldry, who ran the sales for two seasons, said the new price was "astronomical"."Just for the people of the city - get the car boot up and running because it's them who are losing out," he added. 'Working flat out' Gloucester City Council said there are hopes the site will be used for other activities such as music events, a drive-in cinema and outdoor fitness events.A spokesperson said: "We know people are very keen to see the car boot reopen and we've been working flat out to make that happen. "We know that residents would expect us to do everything we can to ensure that the event is well run and makes full use of the site for the local community."
