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?

No, I live with my husband and I have a few good friends - I'm not one of those people with hundreds of friends, though.

past) as I'm sure there will be others deterred from going in by this fee,

Read responses to this very thread.

And have you run this objection of yours past them?

The only reason I would object if it was a charity that I strongly disagreed with the cause/principle....

I can’t remember going to a car boot and not paying to get in, I assumed that they all charged.

What is the point people are missing? That you hate charities? In your OP you said you wouldn’t mind if it was a fee but you’re objecting to it going to charities - this can’t be real!

I'd want to know the charity, there are some I'd never support, but most are innocuous.

It’s a quid so yeah YABU. Haven’t been to one since my Mum used to drag me up at 4am on a Sunday to go help her sell shit. Absolute hell.

None of the publicity states what charity (or charities) are involved. If they had a voluntary collection bucket and it was something I thought was a good cause, I'd chuck a £1 in without being asked. But I resent on principle an existing and longstanding event being taken over in this way.

Crazy. Objects to paying a £1 to get in....then probably haggles down a £3 item to 20p.

I have sold at a car boot once in my life. Was £5 for sellers (it went to charity), and entrance was £1. I wish they could have stopped people going in before a certain time. We had people going though our stuff when it was still in our car and not ready to be put out.

I think £1 is a fairly normal charge for any kind of sale or similar community event?

The only ones that I can think of that are free are where they take place on open ground where people wander in from all angles and there is no feasible way of actually setting the sale boundary.

Have you told your objections and intentions not to go to your husband and friends op?

if not, I dare you to!!

Completely wrong about the haggling, it's something I never do even in situations where it's customary. I don't have the self confidence to haggle. If something doesn't seem value for money, or I can't afford it, I just walk away.

I think a £1 entry fee is perfectly reasonable, charity donation or not.

Well, it was my husband who brought it to my attention because he was pissed off about it. We do have a similar outlook on this kind of thing.

I won't mention it to friends now in case they're on here!

YABU to object to a £1 charitable donation as an entry condition, but YA absolutely NBU to object to the lack of transparency over where the donation is going - that is unacceptable and potentially illegal.

Ask them which charity.

Oh you and your husband are a match made in head

and good call on not telling friends (although… I sense they might not be surprised)

Possibly not, I'm not known for extravagance and, while I'm not hard up, I'm not in a position where I can spend without thinking about it.

I think you should write them a letter of complaint..... perhaps to the local newspapers aswell.

Maybe they’re trying to keep the tightwads out? “Can you do it 10p cheaper mate?”

It might be an issue with traders now having to have a pricey trading licence with the council but this can be avoided with buyers paying a nominal
fee on entry?

I've already explained why I think that would be a waste of time. If I wanted to make a point, I'd simply go there and say 'Oh, I'll leave it then' when asked for the 'donation' but there are better uses I could make of a sunny Sunday morning.

Don't go then.
Why did you have to name change just because people might disagree with you?

Tighter than a camels arse in a sandstorm springs to mind!