Several years ago a man joined our Car Boot Community becoming popular or unpopular with his catch phrase “Got any jewellery love” where he would go around the stalls asking sellers the same question all the time which caused several complaints about the man’s attitude with some of the complainants asking that the man ‘should be barred’ my attitude was that this man was trying to earn a living he seemed to get on reasonably well with other dealers so I will not bar him on the whim of a couple of complainants however I did find it necessary to warn him about his sometimes aggressive attitude which was offensive.

I, and all of my teams over the years have shown great respect to him but there have been occasions where he has been completely out of order with his verbal behaviour towards some of the stall holders.
An incident at Mitchell was the final straw recently when he had gone to one of our regular stall holders a lady in her 70s and very popular with all concerned, she was in conversation when my man barged into their conversation “Got any jewellery love” and the dear lady said “No sorry” and continued with her conversation and at some time laughed at her friend. Got any jewellery hit the roof with rage as he had interpreted her laughter with a friend was aimed at him and he went absolutely berserk demanding that I ‘sort this out’
His offensive ramblings and threats to report nearly all of the sellers “because I have all of their car registration numbers and I pay my taxes and they are all on the fiddle” then he turned his attention to my lady who was petrified about the situation. Still he ranted until I asked him then told him to go away, move away, And GO NOW!

“Right that’s it then” says he “I won’t come back anymore” he shouts as he storms away to hear me say “That is absolutely fine with me! Goodbye!! This man seriously abused the fact that we had ignored complaints about him and I believe he abused the friendship of some of his fellow dealers therefore he should not return to any events run and organised by Car Boots Cornwall.

I must admit I object to people rushing around from stall to stall asking ‘got any jewellery love’ and if I was a seller and people came running up to me chanting “got any jewellery love” I would probably think “hello, there is a rabbit off here” and rapidly put the jewellery back in my boot and sell it on eBay.
I had doubted that I would write about this subject but I have been asked by several people to explain “Did you BAR him”? “No, he BARRED himself”

Respectfully, I ask all buyers not to rush from stall to stall asking the same question “got any jewellery love” because you could probably sell most jewellery for more than you will get at our Car Boots but here are two people you can rely on. I told you about Anne who is at MABE every week and you can certainly rely on our Marge who occasionally sells at our Car Boot Sales (it’s her hubby who does all the work) but Marge is a regular seller at the weekly Flea Markets at the alleged Hall for Cornwall.
It’s just a Theatre for the rich buggers really, I remember the times before the Hall was rebuilt when there used to be the most fantastic indoor flea markets instead of as now when they shove the stall holders out in the open air stone vestibule area to freeze their balls off in the winter.
If I was GM of the H for C I would change the present management and move the Flea Markets back into the main theatre building and bring back those lovely ladies from the WI with their home baking and their home grown vegetables, wouldn’t it would be just lovely to turn the clocks back to those days, you ask posh Anne and our Marge and Rita and Tony and Janet and all the others, great days, great memories and great bargains!
Sadly it seems like we experience with some of our Landlords they want your money but they don’t want your Flea Markets. I understand all stall holders were recently told not to advertise themselves as one or two of them had put directional signs to their stalls at the Flea Market for locals and tourists. I believe this is being a ‘bit too bossy’ I have seen the signs which are totally innocent giving details of the advertiser but importantly advising Joe Public there is a COMMUNITY event featuring real Cornish People and their products at the alleged HALL for CORNWALL!
Many years ago we had great trouble with the authorities telling us we could not put our Car Boot directional signs out to advise the public in particular drivers and tourists of our Community events. The previous Restormel Council collected all of our signs in at Newquay and refused to return them, following a public protest eventually common sense prevailed and we were given permission to place our directional signs to our Car Boots, rightly so and I believe the sellers at the Flea Market should have the same rights providing the signs are taken down at the end of the day of course.

Now then, talking about Landlords we have met some dreadful ones over the years however here is praise for our Landlords at NEWQUAY as you know the lands have been taken over by Kingsley Village. A large housing development has outline planning permission and builders will take over the site eventually to start the massive building programme. We are assured by The Kingsley Group that our Car Boot Sales will remain somewhere in the 100 acre entire complex but at least for the end of this season and hopefully all of next year we will remain where we are at present at NEWQUAY CIRCUS FIELDS! However we will certainly move away from our present location but the new areas will be planned over the next few months. Great Landlords, thank you.
Don’t forget our August BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY Car Boot Sales at PAR MARKET 12.00 noon postcode; PL25 3RP in St Austell and at Truro City Cattle Market at 1.30pm postcode; TR1 1RJ