Car boot sales in London
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By Maggie Davis
Posted: Tue Aug 1 2006 
First-time buyer, Chris Taylor
Meet the carbooters!
The first-time buyer
Chris Taylor, financial advisor, Wimbledon Stadium, Saturday morning
‘We came along to do a bit of a recce because we’ve got a load of junk in the house (in Tooting) and I just wanted to suss it out. It’s surprisingly good actually. I ended up buying this chair for a tenner. I needed something to fit in the corner of our living room and this is just perfect. I like the shape of it – the fact it’s quite angular and small – yes, it will fit quite snugly. We’ll definitely come back to flog all our junk.’
Veteran seller, Martin McManus The veteran seller
Martin McManus Wimbledon Stadium, Saturday morning
‘I used to be a hairdresser in the 1960s and then had an antique shop in Camden Town, but had two families to support so packed it in when business wasn’t doing so well in favour of this. I do about three sales a week. It’s mainly house clearance stuff – anything from old chandeliers and oak tables to Victorian travelling wardrobes. I’m finding the 1960s stuff that I used to chuck away is selling now. Funny how things change. It’s been tougher since 9/11 as we don’t have as many American buyers and they were good – they just aren’t coming over so much. On a day like today I can expect to make a hundred quid or so, other days a couple of hundred or more. It all depends on the weather, what I’ve got and how much money people are feeling like spending. Still, I manage to get by.’ Feature continuesAdvertisement
Katie Dailey (centre) sells at Holloway The stylish sellers
Alyn Horton, PR, and Katie Dailey, fashion writer Holloway Road, Sunday morning
‘We started doing car boot sales about a year ago. We had lots of old fashion samples and some junk I wanted to get rid of, so we put a load of stuff together and got a cab to the Holloway Road one. You just need a DIY table and that’s it. We were both a bit strapped for cash at the time, so thought we’d see how much we could make. We had initially been put off by the early start, but if you’re selling on foot, you can turn up to some (like Holloway Road) at 10am. One thing we learnt quickly was don’t let your own personal taste stop you from bringing something. We sold a half burnt-down pineapple-shaped candle within minutes of putting it out for £3 and a dodgy 1970s dress with a giraffe appliquéd on for £7. How we laughed! We ended up making about £50 each and have been doing them about once a month ever since. People tend to love anything with a big designer label on it and unused makeup and perfume. You always get a real mix going, from trendy people looking for vintage bargains to DJs on the hunt for obscure records and mums and kids out shopping. We’ve never found it to be a chore or trauma.’- Add your comment to this feature
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107 comments
Hi Marcella, Just to let you know that the Car Boot Sale at Princess May School, Stoke Newington has an indoor area aswell and tables are provided.
has any one been to the boot sale at mumsford lane gerrards x i have heard its rubbish but i need to go somewhere on a sat thats open
cor mary you ain arf testy are you sure!!!!!!!
HI PEOPLE......QUESTION IS THERE ANY UNDER COVER BOOTSALES ....PETER CAN YOU GIVE ME THE POST CODE FOR THE ONE IN ENFIELD...AND THE BEST TIME TO GET THERE ..OHH WHAT DAY IS IT THANKYOU
Richard.... One my comment is not just to you!!! ( As you do not represent this forum)
and furthermore all i did was just respond to yourself (Raj) saying that i was speaking rubbish the only thing i am appoligies here for is swearing beacuse everything else i did was just me voicing my views. So stop with the snarky comments its getting old now. Thank you.
thats alriight mary totally accepted, its just that if you give some you got take some. Over and out
Wow look what has started here, you know what i appoligise to everyone and don't want this site to be full of this stuff. Sorry....
lets keep it about the car boots everyone, its just going well off strack and although i dont believe i am alone in terms of insults etc i know i am a part of it, so once again Sorry guys. Mary
peter suuch language! I bet yOur real is mary
Ok Ok people its over now lets get back to the car boot sales... I still think Battersea is the best but im waiting for a challanger, i made £80 last week what others are good..
Carole i am on the hunt for some more too so i will let you know..
And Mary only got offensive when he said she ws talking rubbish i would have told him to fuck off to!!! A totally stranger what a cheek!
mary where are you
Car Boots, sad to see lots close in the winter. There are still plenty of people prepared to run them but lots of popular venues from previous years do not re open. Whats changed, is it the safety laws or inability to provide toilet facilities. I live close to Heathrow and Windsor. Please anyone let me know, if there are any good venues. Thanks
From passionate about car boots
a note to mary 7thnov I suggest you practice what you preach!
thats democracy, mary talks about free opinions and everybody has a right to say what they like. along comes raj tells mary what he thinks she tells him tof!!!k off. true to the cause mary!!!!!!!!
mary are you sure you are not a labourite