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Boot sales popular in UK

Strange as it may seem, when Steve and Caroline wanted to clear out their junk and raise some cash for home improvements, they drove to a muddy field in the heart of England and waited for the hagglers to come. The Loxtons are part of a growing army of Britons turning to a fad popular 20 years ago that is surging back into fashion. Some put the trend down to the British appetite for retro and kitsch. Antiques programs are a regular feature of television schedules.

A variation on the US-style yard sale, car "boot" (or trunks, as they`re called across the Atlantic) sales are multiplying at a startling rate. More than 5,000 big events gather scores of sellers together in Britain every year, which collectively turn over 1.5 billion pounds, according to a recent survey. Almost two-thirds of people have been to at least one boot sale, according to the research by insurer Prudential, and an estimated 10.5 million people have run a stall.

Others say that in a country once described by Napoleon as a "nation of shopkeepers," many find a certain satisfaction in clearing out the clutter and making a bit of cash in the process. A third theory is that dull merchandise has encouraged people to look elsewhere for distinctive accessories. The sudden popularity of these flea markets comes at a time when British retailers are struggling to shift goods and economists are worried that a slowdown in consumer spending could slam the brakes on the entire economy.