Pete Doherty is planning to open a second hand shop in France, possibly called Brocante Roll, where he will sell his collectables and support a local dogs refuge.
From hoarder to shopkeeper
The Libertines rocker has accumulated a large collection of items over the years and now wants to sell some of the overflow, ideally for charity. The shop will not be in Margate or any other UK town, but in France.
Doherty, who has been playing live with both Babyshambles and The Libertines this summer, said: "I really want to open a second-hand shop. I've got so much stuff. I finally got it all out of Margate to Normandy and I've got this big warehouse of records, clothes, typewriters, mannequins, books, trunks."
A venue and a helping hand
Doherty first moved to France, specifically Paris, around late 2008, and then moved to the Normandy coast in 2020, where he spends most of his time.
He wants his new business to include music and to help local dogs. He is hoping friends on the local council will help him avoid some of the 'red tape' involved in opening a new business in France.
"I'd like to make it a venue as well. It wouldn't be a museum, it would be a living, breathing organism in France," Doherty said. "I know a few people on the local council and I'd like to think I could tie into a lot of the work I do for the local dogs refuge."
He added: "Maybe they could overlook a few of the licences and let me have a little bit of cafe or acoustic venue. Get a few of the bands from the label (Strap Originals) to come and play. People can potter about, they can have a chat, they can buy a book."
Naming the shop
Doherty has already thought of a name for the business. He revealed: "Well I live in a town called Étretat, so I was thinking of calling it Étre Tat with the emphasis on the tat, or Étre Tatty. Or the French word for a secondhand shop is Brocante, so maybe 'Brocante Roll'?"
After a busy summer touring with two of his old bands, fans have been hoping for new material, but Doherty admits they may have to wait for his new shop to open before any fresh recording sessions.
He told NME: "I don't really feel the need to make a record right this second. I don't feel it's in my list of things to do immediately."
Doherty tours France this October.
