Car boot sales, once seen as a quintessentially British but slightly dowdy weekend pastime, are undergoing a stylish rebrand. From south London to Manchester, a new wave of organisers is attracting younger crowds by offering a more curated, fashion-forward experience, with later start times and a focus on vintage and unique items.
At the Balham car boot sale in south-west London, the 10am opening sees a queue of families, pensioners, and fashion influencers. Among the sellers are three friends in their mid-20s, drawn by the growing hype on social media. “If you go out and say: ‘Oh I bought this at the car boot,’ I think it’s actually cooler than saying I bought this on Asos,” says Dominique Gowie, 25.
The organisers, Steven Lopes and Erin Murphy, founded the Balham and Peckham car boots in 2019 with a vision to combine city style with a nostalgic, family-friendly atmosphere. “It’s not like a traditional market in a field filled with tools and stuff,” says Lopes. Murphy estimates attendance has grown from about 20 people in the early days to between 1,000 and 2,000 every other weekend.
In Manchester, the Rummage in the Range car boot sale sees similar queues. Organiser Andrew Newens describes it as “car boot style meets flea market,” where items range from 50p to £50, attracting a diverse demographic. The sales remain largely cash-only, which Lopes says encourages more mindful spending: “It’s a nice feeling when you’ve got cash in your hand: it sets a limit and it’s more fun.”
The resurgence is linked to the younger generation’s embrace of secondhand shopping, driven by the cost of living crisis, a desire for higher-quality vintage fabrics, and the thrill of finding something unique. The secondhand goods market has grown to £4.3bn this year, boosted by reselling apps like Depop and Vinted. As Lopes notes, “It has an inner-city feel. There’s cool stuff.”
