Ancient by-law used to cut down car boot sales

An agreement has been drawn up allowing council bosses to invoke a historic charter to clamp down on car boot sales in South Staffordshire.

Wolverhampton's Market Charter was granted in 1258, and prohibits anyone from setting up a rival market within six and two-thirds-of-a-mile of any of Wolverhampton's retail markets, which include the city council-run markets at Wolverhampton, Wednesfield and Bilston.

South Staffordshire Council officials are looking into events run by Colin Turley, who is behind Col's Car Boot in Wombourne and Himley, which move fields regularly to get around the planning laws which restrict operators to holding events on just 14 days a year.

A loophole allows essentially the same event to happen on neighbouring sites, meaning operators can get around the rule by moving slightly down the road. A draft "service level agreement" has now been drawn up between the two councils and is being considered by officers.

It would see the city council license car boot sales within the South Staffordshire area which fall within the radius of Wolverhampton's markets to "ensure they are quality markets offering customers a good experience".

Sue Handy, Wolverhampton City Council's head of markets service, said: "We will invoke our Market Charter in those instances when the establishment of a rival market could have a negative impact on Wolverhampton's existing retail markets.

"Invoking the charter would not necessarily prevent car boots but would require them to meet certain licensing standards."

Wolverhampton City Council currently licenses charity car boot sales, but not commercial sales.

It last invoked the ancient by-law when plans were mooted for a car boot sale on a field off Wergs Road in 2010, sparking traffic concerns.