All that glitters is not GOLD not SILVER!

Last week we had some great weather so Tuesday and Thursday at Newquay Circus Fields were immensely successful with lots of holiday makers in HENDRA and all the other Holiday complexes. The buyers on both days really spent well carrying away all of Cornwall’s leftovers and probably destined to end up on some other up-country Car Boot Sale at twice or thrice the price. That’s how the money goes around and comes around. What a great atmosphere with so many kids, I am convinced caravan people go around the whole camp asking ‘do you wanna come to the boot sale its FREE for kids, and Geoff hates kids, that should pigging wind him up’ I mean there were all nationalities and one Asian family of two adults brought in 19 kids in all, how the hell do you get that lot into one car beats me.
I quite often see the parents doing a share out of pocket money before the kids go into the sale on Thursday 4 kids got ten quid each with a warning “And don’t ask for any more” FFS ten quid, in my day I would have got a three penny bit and that was once a month. From what I see of today’s kids they are certainly street wise and sensible with their pocket money and they know it is possible to save loads of money buying their PC games from the Car Boot instead of from the expensive shops. Today’s kids are tomorrow’s customers and the ones we see certainly enjoy their Car Boots so the future is assured for communities to come my lovers!

Last season at the old Mitchell site Trading Standards Officers came on at least three occasions unannounced but with great determination to ensure we and our sellers are within the law. Their enquiries were mainly into jewellery being sold, was it genuine or fake gold and silver? This year already we have had complaints about ‘alleged fake jewellery’ which was sold at Newquay and we have seen the offending silver necklaces and gold bracelet which we believe to be fake simply because the jewellery in question looked too shiny and cheap and nasty so if they are fake at £6.00 an item then this rip off has to be stopped. But, but, ‘alleged dealers’ who think they know it all were I believe caught out with the alleged fake stuff and were I believe somewhat embarrassed to make too much fuss about making a ‘nerd out of one’s self’ by telling me in the first place.
Another mistake they made was by knocking down the seller by £2.00 per item!
So, Let’s get this right Mr Gullible, you went to the stall and asked if you could see the necklaces looking all bright and shiny in their cheap and chatty crappy boxes and after inspecting them you said “How much are these luv” the seller who has about a dozen of them said “I want six pounds each” she told you nothing about the items and you said ‘I will give you £4.00 each’ and a deal was done and you buy 6 of them! Two days later you come to get your money back because someone tells you ‘they were fake’ and the seller says “No because I did not tell you they were silver” And then you come and tell me and WTF do you think I can do about it except laugh at your stupidity my lover. ‘Buyer Beware’‘Caveat Emptor’ now walk away with jerky movements! Next!

A lady buyer/seller nicknamed Mrs T Leaf, we have known for far too many years as a PITA because she is always moaning about something or other and Saturday at Mitchell was no exception. She had bought a pair of leather boots for £3.00 (which she would have sold on her own stall next day) but after walking around with them for half an hour she decides she doesn’t want them any more so decided ‘I will get a refund’ but the stall holder refuses saying ‘You inspected them and I could have sold them several times since’ Mrs T Leaf then demands our Amelia “Go and fetch Geoff now”?

Knowing who the lady was I refuse to go see her so she starts stalking me around the stalls and when that happens I can walk at almost running pace and really cheese Mrs T Leaf off. She eventually catches up with me tells me her story and shows me the boots that for three quid were a bargain in my opinion. Now I remember over the years attending Mrs T Leaf’s stalls trying to resolve complaints from her customers who wanted refunds and her attitude was totally out of order refusing to refund on faulty items she had sold. I told her there was nothing I am prepared to do about her complaint reminding her of previous incidents. What goes around comes around madam! But why Mrs T Leaf? Now that’s another story………….

Back to the jewellery story, seriously, we are not experts on the subject of gold and silver, Louise has written to Trading Standards to try to clarify the situation, you will see their replies below. I welcome their officers at any time to inspect our seller’s stalls at our locations not only looking at jewellery they also check on fake clothing & footwear and on any electrical Items you may be selling, so make sure the plugs are up to British Safety standards and please, if you say an item works then it MUST work. If you are unsure if it works then tell your buyer ‘it is sold as seen’ then you will be completely within the law. (I think)

Geoff

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