Gloucester’s car boot sale at Hempsted Meadows has faced significant challenges since leasing was awarded to Capital Car Boots last year. Despite high hopes, the site has yet to generate any income for taxpayers during this financial year.
After a competitive process, Capital Car Boots secured a 15-year lease from Gloucester City Council. The new operator was initially set to reopen the site on July 20, 2023, but this was delayed by a week due to a vandalism incident. Thousands of nails were scattered across the site, necessitating an extensive cleanup that cost approximately £25,000 and prompted additional security measures.
The lease was officially signed on August 1, but council leader Jeremy Hilton revealed that Capital Car Boots was granted a rent-free period as a direct response to the sabotage. Cllr Hilton highlighted that the sabotage, including online harassment and deliberate damage, undermined confidence and complicated the reopening process.
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During a recent budget meeting, Councillor Alastair Chambers voiced concerns about the lack of income from the car boot sale and the resulting £25,000 deficit reported in the council’s financial monitoring. He emphasized that generating income should be a priority and suggested that the council might consider taking over operations in-house if necessary.
Cllr Hilton acknowledged frustrations but stressed the importance of giving the new business time to succeed under the current 15-year agreement. He affirmed that there is always a “plan B” but urged patience to allow the operator to overcome the sabotage challenges.
The council remains committed to making the car boot sale a successful venture despite the setbacks caused by sabotage and vandalism.