Shopping

The endless pile of bags needs to be sifted by hand; a surprising amount of it is unusable. ‘We get a lot more rubbish now,’ says Anne Marie. ‘A lot more stuff we have to pass on to our ragman. Old clothes get shredded to be made into stuffing for seats. ‘We used to get more designer labels, but not so many these days. Since those shops opened up which give you some money for designer stuff, people have stopped bringing it in.’ The most common item donated to the shop is ladies’ trousers. When they have too many they pass them on to their sister shop in Archway, which doesn’t get as many donations. Feature continues

There is also a large list of items that they’re not allowed to sell, including electrical appliances, nightwear, real fur and riding hats. These days, it seems that people would consider suing a charity shop if an old food mixer they got for a couple of quid blew up. Food and drink is also banned (though it doesn’t stop people sending in their unwanted tins) and, as you would hardly think it necessary to stipulate, ‘weapons – real or imitation’.

‘Someone brought in a hand grenade once, and a belt full of bullets,’ says Anne Marie. ‘The police came rushing round with their blue lights flashing. The grenade had had the powder taken out but we didn’t know that.’ Apparently someone also once donated a ‘definitely used’ sex toy to the Crouch End branch. Staff are told: ‘If in doubt, don’t put it out’, but there can’t have been much debate about that one.

Out in the main shop there’s a quiet but steady flow of people. An old lady with jet-black-dyed hair scuttles in and carefully lays a full plastic bag on the table. ‘It’s gale force out there – I near got blown over! Now, I’ve got a couple of handbags for you, new ones, but do you mind if I have a look through them first? I’ve been using them, see.’ After ten minutes of inspection, she reluctantly hands over two black nylon handbags and, even more reluctantly, leaves. ‘Always bags, she brings in,’ says Anne Marie. ‘Yes, I’ve seen her buying them up Ridley Road,’ says Gloria.

Other regulars include a doctor from Poland who comes over a few times a year to stock up. She spends an average of £200 a go – pretty impressive at these prices. On one visit she bought the entire window display. Another regular was notorious for timing her browsing to begin just as the shop was closing. ‘She hasn’t been around for a while though, thank goodness.’

Thanks to Islington’s fashionable women, clothes are definitely the strong point at Highbury’s Marie Curie, with a good selection of high street labels such as Gap, M&S and Zara, plus a smattering of designer names like Paul Smith and Gucci among the formal wear. There is also a good selection of books and vinyl (no classical – it doesn’t sell) and bric-a-brac: mostly picture frames and china. Even skateboards and rollerblades feature, and for no more than £10.