AIBU to object to a £1 charity entry fee at car boot sale?

[TightwadTilly]

My local car boot sale has been running for years, apart from a Covid hiatus.

As it's now reaching the time of year when getting up early on a Sunday morning is a pleasure, I was planning to start going again. However, I've found out they are now imposing a £1 entry fee for buyers. Apparently this will go to charity - I haven't found out which charity or charities, however that isn't greatly material to my point.

I want to be clear that I could afford a £1 entry fee, but I really object to the principle of it and - this might sound odd - the fact it is a charity 'donation' is even more annoying. I could live with it better if it was a case of the sellers having their pitch fees reduced by £1 to 'share the costs'.

It also puts me off selling there (which I have done in the past) as I'm sure there will be others deterred from going in by this fee, either on principle or because they go to car boot sales to get things cheap that they couldn't otherwise afford.

Quite prepared to be told I am tighter than a gnat's arse, hence name change, but AIBU?

Yep, you’re being tight

Yes.

Call the police

Object away
give them a giggle

There’s an easy option if you don’t want to pay - don’t go!

I've never been to a car boot where there wasn't an entry fee.

£1? It's hardly a fortune is it. You couldn't even get an ice cream for that nowadays. I'd pay it.

You must be on a wind up

I couldn’t bring myself to get worked up over a £1 charity donation. If you feel that strongly don’t go.

You could vote with your feet and just not go.

just noticed username so yes

How bored must the op be??

No, as I've said, it isn't the cost I object to, it's imposing a 'charity donation' on an event that has run for years for free.

Our local church charges £5 for a table if you want to sell things and £2 entrance for people who want to buy things . . . I thought this was really cheap, particularly for the tables. I've paid huge amounts for tables at craft fayres

So, yes, YABVU

I don't think I've ever been to a boot sale without an entry fee. And I've been going to boot sales for decades.

Don’t go

but please object. They will all have a chuckle about it I promise

I can assure you, I'm not on a wind up. I think people are slightly missing my point.

The boot sale that you go to has been an anomaly all that time. A free for buyers boot sale is very unusual.

Sounds like a great way to raise money for charities with a very low donation. I’m struggling to understand why this has irritated you so much.

I believe you

do not go
please object!!!!

YABU

I've never been to a free car boot sale. They range from £2 to a fiver for the really enormous one.

I'm also a veteran car boot sale goer (over 30 years), and I've never been charged to get in as a buyer

The world is on fire. Charities fill the gaps that statutory services cannot.

I agree that it’s not on to not tell you which charity - there are charities I wouldn’t want to support - but also it’s not imposed because you still have a choice not to go.

Storm and teacup come to mind.

I've got no intention of 'objecting' - that would be completely pointless, they'd just tell me not to go.

But this way they can support local charities that have been hit hard by the cost of living and fuel prices. The three car boots for a local hospice are a huge part of their fundraising for the year.