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  • Car boot sales in London

  • By Maggie Davis

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    Wimbledon car booters

    eBay vs car boot

    Car boot sales offer a very different shopping experience from eBay. From a seller’s point of view, eBay can be hugely profitable – there will always be someone interested in that limited edition Matthew Williamson-designed Coca-Cola bottle or those Biba boots – but at a car boot sale people expect to get bargains. A car boot sale is the right thing to do if you have an attic/car load of junk to get rid of, whereas eBay is better for the odd unwanted designer item. If you’ve got more than 20 things to sell, it will be hideously time-consuming putting them all on eBay. That said, some people make a living on eBay by shopping at car boot sales. It’s amazing just how many first edition books, rare records and pieces of antique china you can find. In the chaos of a car boot sale they may look cheap and worthless, but dust them off, polish them up and get them photographed nicely and you could make a lot of money on the internet. On a recent trip to a Wimbledon car boot sale I found a first edition Enid Blyton book, ‘The Adventures of Pip’ for £1; a set of original Spice Girl dolls (pictured) and a handmade leather Victorian photo album both a fiver each. Any one of these items would sell on eBay for at least five times that. Feature continues

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    If you like that, you’ll love this: jumble sales

    Alerted by a thicket of pensioners bristling at the entrance I wandered into my first jumble sale by accident. Deep in the basement of the Sally Army on Hackney’s Cambridge Heath Road I discovered an Aladdin’s cave of musty clothes, broken bric-a-brac and age-old children’s books, most for under a quid. The fact that jumble sales have an esoteric aura – to find listings you have to scour local papers or look for posters outside church halls – merely adds to their appeal. To date my best buys include a cream satin blouse with a pussy-cat bow, 50p; a grey wool tailored jacket, £1.50; and a set of ceramic Midwinter storage jars, £1.

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109 comments

  1. Posted by Mary on 25 Sep 2009 18:55

    Lets agree to disagree- your reaction also makes sence now as you have revealed that you are a carboot organiser as well. But it still leaves the question why you feel someone's opion of how they were treated was wrong or even a personal attack, (thats just their view) maybe you are one of the workers from princess May?? Regardless like you said, everyone Enjoy. and keep posting your feelings and opions about London Boot sales. The good and the Bad! :-)

  2. Posted by Sammy on 25 Sep 2009 17:10

    Exactly, its about voicing opinions on car boot sales and that's what i'm also doing but in defence of the booters who are again being made out again to be money grabbing thugs who commit benefit fraud and handle dubious goods. I am simply disagreeing with the things being implied here, all because of an entry fee. Sorry if L Barker is offended by my disbelief or different point of view. I'll be doing another car boot sale soon and don't agree with what has been said and i am far from the descriptions mentioned. Believe me i am also not rich from doing them! Maybe not every car boot sale has a higher early entry charge but in my experience most do and have done for years. Car booters have fun doing stalls and do not set out to rip people off and and the majority of people have fun coming to them and getting some good deals by haggling! Enjoy everyone!

  3. Posted by mary on 25 Sep 2009 11:56

    The end of L parkers note did sound a bit harsh but i have to admit that the thought did run through my mind only beacuse of how intent the booters are to make money on every little thing. And just to add.. most car boot sale's ask for the early entry fee but not all, so Maybe princess May was the first boot sale that L parker went to that asked for this so in his defence it would be a bit of a shock. And having a sign up indicating the early entry fee to me is just being polite and they should have it up whether or not it says it on the website! However this site is about voiceing opinons about CAR BOOT SALES and whether i agree with L parker there is nothing worse than another person making someone look or appear nasty or untrue when they are just voiceing their own opinon about their personal experience whether or not you agree.. beacuse you and i might have gone on a good day!

  4. Posted by Sammy on 24 Sep 2009 16:07

    L Barker - are you for real?! (I don't know) But I can't believe you are making such a fuss and calling people "thugs" and "dubious characters" because you were being asked for the early morning entry price which most car boot sales ask for? Its £3.00 before 9am and you went after 8am? so that makes sense. I don't get what the problem is? If you google 'princess may carboot' you'll find websites that clearly state the price - they don't need a sign up and i think accosted is a slight exaggeration! Fact is they weren't in the wrong, you were.
    And as for investigating benefit claimants?! Enough of the sterotypes please! Pure snobbery and nothing better to do!

  5. Posted by hansi kraus on 23 Sep 2009 16:35

    i went to the princes may car boot in hackney sale and for me it its the best nice people nice food and a lots of bargains very trendy and very cheap ! 3 pound til 9clock after 0,50 pence ..

  6. Posted by L Parker on 23 Sep 2009 11:56

    I went to the boot sale at Princess May School on Sunday 20th September 2009 at just after 8am.
    I entered the gate on which a sign indicating that 50p was charged after 9am. As I walked through I was accosted by the gate guard for three pounds!
    I argued that it did not say that on the gate and that I would not pay as that was extortion.
    He called someone on his mobile handset and within a few seconds a rude thug approached me from the direction of the tea enclosure and was soon accompanied by a woman who I presumed to be his wife, or what ever.
    I was threatened with the police when I objected to the way he spoke to me and he refused to identify himself or the company that is responsible for the running of this boot sale other than to say ' Kilburn Giants'.
    He did refer me to the school as they are entirely happy with the set up that is and has been a long term arrangement at this venue.
    Despite the dubious characters and equally dubious source of the various items for sale at this site, I will be investigating over the next few months to identify exactly the extent of the organiser' profit declarations along with their own identities and that of any benefit claimants, who seem to frequent the site religiously week after week, in search of their undeclared earnings.

  7. Posted by Josie on 20 Sep 2009 23:48

    Hi Sam, Brentside Car Boot in Greenford Avenue, Ealing W7 1JJ is a great car boot to look out for. They are open every Sunday throughout the year from 9.30/3.00pm (hardstanding). I have the telephone number of the organisers 07805 602482 and there's always a friendly voice on the end of the phone. I was there today and it was packed out with sellers and buyers. Hope this helps. It is well worth a visit.

  8. Posted by mills on 07 Sep 2009 09:41

    EAST LONDON BOOT SALE:
    I'm going to sell this weekend, hopefully everything goes well!!
    @ Hackney at Princess May Primary school, Barretts Grove, Hackney.

  9. Posted by sam on 05 Sep 2009 18:25

    im a first time car booter...i would like any infomation on car boots sales in and out of london...i have an estsate car and loads and loads of stuff i want 2 sell 2 raise money...any info would be much appreciated....thankssssssss

  10. Posted by mary on 19 Aug 2009 13:08

    I called up Battersea Boot sale yesterday and not only is the txt but dont call rule a bit long winded but the price has gone up like another person said from £10 to £20 and you have to pay over the phone using your CREDIT card or DEBIT card!!!! I simple said NO! What a joke!! On a good note i found another one in hackney at Princess May Primary school, Barretts Grove, Hackney which is £9 ( for cars) and you pay cash on arrival, staring at 9pm-2pm sellers have to arrive at 7pm. I also found the following other one's too:
    1. Collier Row, Whalebone Lane, North every sunday. 9-2pm 07956312131 cars £9
    2. Banzer (on thursdays) 6-2pm Warren Farm, A12 Romford, near Mobey dick, RM6-6RB cars £12 02085014090
    3. Forest Farm, Forest farm road, Barkingside ( oppisite Fairlop water pitches) £10 for cars 02085014090
    All the car boot sales that i have mentioned require payment on arrival only and are on a first come basis. :-)

  11. Posted by Marthe Touquillon on 13 Aug 2009 00:05

    I've also been to the Brentside High School car boot sale (just last week in fact). It was overflowing with traders & loads of people. It's easy to get to in Greenford Avenue, W7 1JJ (local buses stop right outside!). A real mix of stalls, I bought some antique plates from a stallholder who packaged them with Cath Kidston soaps and wrapped them in sellophane - lovely for gifts. I've got the phone number if anyone needs it - 07805 602842 - and you get a voice at the end of the phone - what a pleasure!!

  12. Posted by Susan Chapman on 28 Jul 2009 15:47

    Here we go again! The slagging off of what is clearly the BEST car boot sale in London! Sour grapes combined with other less successful boot sale organisers hoping to poach some trade it seems.
    Do you people know what extortion is? It is gaining money through threats/force etc. equally a 'rip off'... trying to get more than something is worth.
    Have either of you heard the phrase "supply and demand"????
    The organisers of Battersea Boot sale receive 500 requests for pitches every week (they have space for 100) They don't even advertise for sellers, haven't done for years and yet still the requests for pitches increase and increase. That is the power of word of mouth and EXCELLENT customer service.
    I'd strongly suggest you think very carefully about what you're saying and who you're slagging off and why before you do it. Opinion is one thing we are all entitled to, slander is not.

  13. Posted by Suzie McQueen on 21 Jul 2009 21:29

    There's a great carboot sale in Ealing, Brentside High School (Kajima Community's facility), Greenford Avenue W7 1JJ, lots of local traders - very friendly. Only £10 for a pitch - not a rip-off price that others charge!! I go every week and have picked up lots of bargains, including a White Company light for £15 (brand new) which retails at £200.

  14. Posted by steve on 14 Jul 2009 21:42

    Hi Everyone Does Anyone Know Is The Wimbledon Stadium Boot Sale Still On Wednesdays As Well As Saturday Thanks Guys

  15. Posted by melissa barnard on 14 Jul 2009 20:11

    Just called to book a pitch at Battersea Car Boot this Sunday (with my car) and the price has gone up from £10 last summer to £20 for cheapest, latest arrival pitch! Best pitches are £35!!! I think it's extortionate!
    So can anyone recommend some good car boots to take part in (without loads of professional sellers) in southeast London or thereabouts? Have done a Google, but can't find anything that fits the bill. Thanks!

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