Car boot set for return after eight-month wait

Traders will be able to return to a Gloucester car boot sale in July after the site's new operator was announced.

Capital Boot Sales has been named as the new operator of Gloucester's Hempstead Meadow car boot, which has been closed since November 2024.

But regular traders have expressed concerns over how long it took for the car boot sale to reopen.

Colleen Williams, who has been a regular at the car boot selling fruit and vegetables since 2008, believes the long closure has had a detrimental impact.

"We were more than disappointed, we were devastated," said Mrs Williams.

"Now the summer has started and the other car boots have started up [but] they haven't got the earning potential Gloucester has because Hempstead is a purpose-built site."

Louise Dodsworth has been going to the car boot for years as a buyer and said she was concerned about the loss of the social aspect for older people.

"A lot of people were saying that's the only time they are going to get out and about so they weren't going to see anyone all week, which I thought was really sad," she said.

Gloucester City Council closed the car boot over the winter for work to the site and because the lease was up for renewal.

Two previous operators of the car boot, Reg Daldry and Bob Newby, put in a bid to run it but their applications were turned down.

Mr Newby said it was a "slow process" which was to be "expected" but felt the council wanted too much control over the lease.

The site was advertised at £145,000 a year, but Mr Newby claimed it cost about £45,000 a year when he ran the car boot sales before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mr Daldry, who ran the sales for two seasons, said the new price was "astronomical".

"Just for the people of the city - get the car boot up and running because it's them who are losing out," he added.

Gloucester City Council said there are hopes the site will be used for other activities such as music events, a drive-in cinema and outdoor fitness events.

A spokesperson said: "We know people are very keen to see the car boot reopen and we've been working flat out to make that happen.

"We know that residents would expect us to do everything we can to ensure that the event is well run and makes full use of the site for the local community."