Otley’s car boot sale proves popular attraction for visitors

Held every Sunday throughout the year at the town’s Wharfedale Farmers Auction Mart, the afternoon car boot sale which opens to the public from noon, got the thumbs up from 81 per cent of those who visited according to the survey.

The car boot sale, which has been operating since 2007, is able to open whatever the weather thanks to the historic auction mart’s hard-standing ground meaning the car boot remains a hive of activity for bargain hunters even in the coldest days of winter.

According to the survey, visitors to the car boot arrive in Otley from a number of different locations, with just over one in five of those questioned being local, a third (34 per cent) living within a 30-minute drive and almost half (44 per cent) proving to be tourists who have to drive for more than 30 minutes to visit the town.

Seller Jacquline Du Prez  has been putting up a regular pitch at the market for more than a decade. Selling a range of upcycled furniture, collectibles, and clothing from the back of her car, she highlighted the positive environmental impact of car boot sales.

“The things I sell mainly come from friends of mine who do house clear outs, and that’s really positive for the environment,” she said.

“By giving their items to me to sell, it stops them from taking all the stuff they don’t want to a tip where it would likely just end up becoming landfill.”

Bill Hyland, originally from Northern Ireland but now living in West Yorkshire, is another long-standing seller. Now retired and offering gas plumbing and electrical goods from his stall, he said he believed the car boot sale provides him with both a small supplementary income, but more importantly, with huge social benefits.

He said: “When I retired I felt quite lonely at first. Since I’ve been coming here, I’ve found a new social circle – it’s a great place for me to visit and meet people once a week. It’s a good crowd and it keeps me active. I see it as ‘good therapy’ for me.”

According to the survey, the car boot’s benefits extend far beyond the sellers and the bargain hunters who visit looking for a deal. More than half of those interviewed (53 per cent) said they also take in the town centre while on their visit, with four in ten (42 per cent) saying they enjoyed Otley’s cafés and restaurants, and more than a third (36 per cent) highlighting Otley’s independent shops as a reason to take the short walk into town from the Auction Mart. Of those visiting the town centre, almost six in ten (58 per cent) said they would spend between £20 and £50 on Otley’s shops and services on top of anything they bought at the car boot.

Most car boot visitors are regulars according to the survey. More than six in ten (64 per cent) of those questioned said they visited the car boot sale at least once a month, while visitors have a cross-generational make up making it an attraction for the whole family. Just nine per cent of those questioned said they were visiting the car boot sale on their own, while almost half of those visiting (47 per cent) were at the car boot with younger family members and 23 per cent were with older family members. Almost one in three (32 per cent) were visiting with friends.

Otley car boot sale (Image: submitted)

Organiser Dylan Leech said: “Otley’s car boot sale is proving to be hugely successful for a wide variety of reasons. Hosting it at the Auction Mart means we are not weather dependent, so people know if they come on any Sunday there are bargains to be had.

“It’s also really positive for the environment, given people can pass on their unwanted items, while it also allows people to make some pin money on a Sunday. The fact we have dedicated parking and that we don’t open to the public until noon are also seen as massive positives, as people don’t have to forsake their Sunday mornings to visit us but they can do so later in the day and still pick up a bargain.”

Chair of Otley Town Council’s Trade and Tourism Committee Cllr Paul Carter (Lib Dem, Manor Ward) said: “It’s pleasing to see that Otley’s Car Boot Sale proves such a unique and massive draw for people into the town. We’d long wondered about its impact on Otley, and the results of the research are particularly pleasing. Not only are people overwhelmingly satisfied with its offering but a significant number of visitors are also heading into town and spending money in our other businesses which is a huge benefit in the current climate.”

The survey by People and Places Insight was conducted on behalf of Otley Town Council. They interviewed 101 people across their visit in October 2023.