Gloucester Car Boot Sale Faces Setbacks, Rent-Free Period Granted Amid Sabotage Attempts

Gloucester’s Hempsted Meadows car boot sale has yet to generate any income for the council since the lease was awarded last year. Capital Car Boots secured a 15-year lease for the site after Gloucester City Council ran a competitive tender process.

However, the council’s latest financial monitoring report reveals that a series of incidents, including deliberate sabotage, have caused significant delays and financial setbacks. Originally scheduled to reopen on July 20 last year, the event was postponed by a week following an act of vandalism involving the spread of thousands of nails across the site. The resulting clean-up and increased security efforts cost the council approximately £25,000.

Despite eventual lease signing on August 1, the council granted Capital Car Boots a rent-free period due to these extraordinary difficulties. City council leader Jeremy Hilton referenced these sabotage attempts as a key factor behind the financial impact. “We had problems with the current operator getting cold feet because of sabotage,” Hilton explained, citing also negative social media attacks.

Councillor Alastair Chambers expressed concern over the lack of income during a recent budget meeting. Highlighting the deficit and ongoing challenges, Chambers emphasized the importance of revenue generation, stating, “The car boot sale has suffered a series of incidents and delays that have led to no expected income this year. That’s really concerning for a council that needs to generate income from its assets.”

He further noted that the council is considering a Plan B, which may involve managing the car boot sale internally if problems persist.

In response, Hilton urged patience and cooperation, emphasizing the long-term lease and the need to “get it right.” He reassured that alternative plans exist but encouraged support for the new operator during this difficult period caused by sabotage and unforeseen issues.