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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116 comments
THE COMENT BELOW WAS FOR RICHARD........CAN ANYONE PLEASE ANSWER MY QUESTION ABOUT ANY GOOD BOOTSALES ON SATURDAY.......THANKYOU
I THOUGHT THIS WAS A SITE TO ASK QUESTION ABOUT BOOTSALE, NOT TO PLUG THEM, I HAVE BEEN ADDICTED TO BOOTSALES FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS NOW, AND LOVE THE BUZZ OF GETTING UP IN THE SUMMER AND BUYING GREAT BARGAINS, MAYBE NOT SO MUCH OF A BUZZ IN THE WINTER I CANT BELIVE THAT PEOPLE LIKE RICHARD HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO THEN SAY SILLY COMMENTS ABOUT ME PLUGING KILBURN WHEN I REALLY DONT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS BOOTSALE, RICHARD MOVE ON .....AS I DONT CARE IF YOU BELIVE ME OR NOT .....HOW BORING ARE YOU ....MARCELLA
Yes margaret I agree that this site is for constructive comments and opinions only - I gave an opinion and was called strange. Katie plugged the boot sale at princess may so much that she is obviously a part of it by what she said - breath of fresh air, polite organisers, reasonable, enjoyable, stall availability, successful, well worth a visit. Let people judge for themselves like I did. No more advertising thank you Princes May!!!!
i still dont believe you marcella!!!!!!
FOR THIS SILLY MAN RICHARD.........LET ME JUST SAY .....I DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH KILBURN,...I DONT NEED TO GET A LIFE...YOU DO ..ALL I DID WAS ASK A QUESTION IF KILBURN WAS STILL OPEN....... I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF ANYONE KNOWS OF ANY BOOTSALES ON A SATURDAY ????.........AND FOR YOU RICHARD HAVE A NICE DAY ......MARCELLA PS THIS IS MY REAL NAME X
How many paranoid people are there on what is meant to be a basic comments site. I can't believe some of the comments I am reading mainly from organisers of one relatively unknown carboot. May I suggest that if anyone wants a good car boot sale they use their search engines and google them up like I do when I want to sell or buy. There are dozens of good boot sales out there. Let's put a stop to all this nonsense and self-promotion!!
Katie this is all about giving personal opinions. You have good experiences at the boot sale at princesss may and I haven't. What is strange about that!! The boot sale is never that busy and cannot compete with others I have been to. Get a life Katie - you definitely sound part of the set up at princess may - just take it on the chin.
I find Deena's comments really strange. Perhaps she is also another Car Boot Organiser? I have been a regular at Princess May for sometime. I find it, as a relatively new bootsale, a breath of fresh air! The organisers are polite and the cost, unlike other bootsales is very reasonable. The times that I have frequented this Bootsale, I have had a good day both financially and enjoyably. And now, that some indoor pitches/stalls are available, this bootsale should be a great success all through the year. I think it's well worth a visit.
we all khow you run kilburn marcella if thats your real name. Get a life
hi there can anyone tell me is there any good car boot sales on saturday apart from the ones in time out thankyou ...marcella
Yes i totally agree with Diana and mary. Everyone has their own opinion about boot sales - even if they are not rosy red. I have been doing car boots for years and have recently been to the one at Princess May - as a buyer and a seller. For me it was not good but that's just my opinion. I live in the area and thought I would give it a try because it's local. On my first visit (as a buyer) it did not seem very busy with sellers but one of the organisers asured me it was a quiet week and usually it was much busier (apparantly it has room for 80 or so cars). I decided to give it a try to sell and have been twice in fact - and both times it has not lived up to expectations. One week I only counted about 33 cars and that was a sunny day and there didn't seem many people through the door either. The organisers obviously want to entice people and will say what sellers want to hear just to get them in. Unfortunately it didn't do it for me which is a shame -I won't be trying a third time. I'll go back to my usual busy haunts.
quite right mary everybody is entitled to a fair opinion good or bad of car boot sales. but this moron parker thinks he has the right of free admission just because its a car boot sale. when he was told he had got to pay an entance fee to he got abusive and arrogant and made stupid threats, thats the problem mary his was not a review more a thugs view
Why the hell do people on this site seem to think that the reviews from sellers or buyers have to be rosy red???? if someone did not enjoy themselves at a car boot then they reserve the right to say it, i dont think anyone here is commiting slander no one has said dont go the that particuar boot sale and only a few have mentioned specific names, sorry but there is one thing that i can not stand and it is people who dont allow overs to voice their views on how there experence was. THIS SITE IS FOR REVIEWS AND INFO ON CAR BOOT SALES WHETHER THEIR ROSEY RED OR S**** BROWN. If he didn't like princess may then he just didn't like it!!
Gosh! I still go there and so do others and if i have any trouble there i will be straight on this site reporting it!!! With out a second thought!!
Dear Mr Parker
Its sad to read that you was not happy with your experience at the carboot, however you have aired you grievances for many to read and there may be some who choose not to go to that car boot. But I am amazed at your energy that you want to go down so many avenues to seek further revenge. You seem like a bitter highly sensative individual and if only you chanelled your time into helping so many individuals suffering around London.
I know the team at the car boot from a distance and they work enormous hours well before daylight arrives and are there hours after the car boot finishes cleaning the mess left by others. They also appear to have additional cleaning services which must cost a fortune. I have joined my husband on the odd ocassion as a booter and I have seen staff physically abused and also the same staff protect booters who have been attacked from members of the public and sometimes defused very dangerous situations. Chill out you see everything in a single tunnel vision.
i reckon that silly bugger l parker should come to my club and then see what would happen if he did not want to pay his entrance fee