There’s something in a stroll through a classic car boot sales that brings a smile on the face.
If you’re searching for something particular or simply want something that caught your attention, odds are you’ll end up with something secure beneath your arms.
This is why we were thrilled to visit the Hucknall Car Boot Sale and discover what we could find.
There are a lot of fantastic online reviews and is featured on a fantastic website with lots of parking options for those who want to gamble.
The good feature of this particular place is that it’s open twice a week, and opens on a Thursday afternoon and closing on a Sunday early morning.
There was sunshine, and the sellers were on the move selling the most fascinating variety of things from kids toys to furniture, bric-abrac, and even food items.
With numerous stalls on a Thursday, and some on Sundays. There was plenty to look through and bargain hunters in the market. We arrived and one woman snatched up an assortment of Christmas ornaments and Christmas decorations for PS2.50 and another picked several new bouncy balls for children to use as stocking stuffers.
When the idea of what makes a successful auction, and if weather is the primary factor that determines the success or failure of it and the third must come from the vendors.
We were generally greeted by a plethora of cheerful vendors, each with a gift for the smile and that zing of traditional market stall style that can draw in customers and make their purchases in the fastest time possible.
It was difficult to decide where to start. A lot of the stands were filled with useful household goods such as tea towels and other everyday items along with sparkly boots, Halloween costumes, brand-new ball toys for children, and an assortment of teapots, vases, and pictures of farmed animals.
The first stand that truly caught our attention was the one of Italian born Italio Pedroncelli, who hails from Long Eaton.
Alongside his bric a-brac and second hand household goods, and an assortment of equipment, it was also selling the grapes and carrots from his garden.
He added: “I’ve been coming here for about a year – every now and then when I have a nice amount of stuff that I want to market. It’s a great way to reuse items instead of disposing of it. We take it to the market and hope to make a few dollars.
“I like bringing my carrots, they go down well. People like to see them like this – not perfectly straight like they are in supermarkets.”
After a fun time with Italio, we collect the bargain carrots we can find and head to the car boot, which is filled with toys as the sun begins to set and the site becomes busy.
The sale is a well-known family-owned affair that’s been running for more than 30 years and has earned a reputation as a welcoming and well-run. There’s a huge smile at the entrance and the sale is accompanied by numerous five-star reviews on the internet from buyers and sellers.
One comment reads: “First time selling there – very nice atmosphere. Can’t wait to go again next week. Great for good vintage finds and random bargains.”
Another comment: “Great atmosphere, everyone is friendly and if you haven’t been before, I would strongly recommend you give it a go.”
While some sellers are content to wait and see if that buyers will come to them while others are working to make a name for themselves.
While we move around , we become aware of a spot in the sunniest corner of the market. People are congregating around a particular stall and we are wondering whether Del Boy himself has made an appearance.
It turns out that it’s not an David Jason wannabe but that we were in the right path when we met time-tested Hucknall vendor Andro “Andy” Fowlke – who tells us that his name”Arthur Daley” is “Arthur Daley”.
It’s also easy to understand the reason.
Andy’s car boot sale, which is being run by other vendors Adele and Wendy is awash with people and is the most popular spot. After just a few minutes of talking with him, he’s sold an item – he demanded for five dollars and received PS3 an adorable ornament and an electrical gadget that he promised the buyer that he’d “easily make on”.
Andy Fowlke, Wendy Woolley and Adele Thornhill are a rainbow of fun and colour amid the noise of the events They are always happy to show off their products and trade with potential buyers.
“I’ve been doing this for almost 40 years,” Wendy says.
“We used to go all over, Colwick and Calverton, but this one is closer to home. We sell anything and everything we can get. Most of our customers say ‘we come back for you’.”
