Talks under way to bring back popular car boot sale

A popular car boot sale could return if negotiations to bring it back are successful.

The sales had been a regular feature at Harlescott in Shrewsbury, but came to an end last summer when the couple running the market that hosted it retired.

Now however Jon Tandy, who took over, says he has negotiated a deal to run a market there, but permission to run a car boot too is still being sought.

Mr Tandy said market traders and customers had since asked for the sales to return, and he has now gone back to the town council to see if his deal could be altered.

Currently, the Sunday market is not getting enough footfall and stallholders had suggested the car boot would bring in more people, Mr Tandy said.

He also said the site, next to a large Tesco store, was popular with car boot sellers because it was a tarmac car park, not a field.

Mr Tandy said he could understand the town council's caution, because car boot sales had to be properly managed, to ensure illicit goods do not go on sale.

But he said: "I've got enough staff to monitor that properly.

"Quite rightly, they want to make sure that it's right, I can't blame the town council for that."

Mr Tandy said he hoped talks could reach a resolution in a fortnight's time and the Sunday market could be "a thriving area again".

Shrewsbury Town Council has been approached for a comment.

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