Bumper year for Poole shop selling items discarded at tips
'New to You' is owned and operated by BCP Council
A shop in Poole that sells items discarded at local recycling centres brought in more than £100,000 last year.
New To You in Cabot Lane also stopped 46 tonnes of waste going to landfill.
Items which also sold online included a motorcycle jacket that went for over £500 and a set of Marshall Speakers that sold for £1,600.
The store's owned and operated by BCP Council, with profits from sales go to local good causes.
They've also provided old wooden furniture to Canford Heath group Poole Men’s Shed, to offer a social space for volunteers to meet and work on practical projects, that in turn benefit the local community.
Laura Neil, Commercial Waste Manager, BCP Council said:
“It has been a very successful and rewarding year for ‘new to you’.
“Throughout 2023 we consistently expanded our customer base while remaining dedicated to supporting local social support agencies, providing furniture and general household items whenever possible, including donating our unsold items to Julia's House Children's Hospice Charity shop in Poole.
“We also strengthened our position as a reputable retail outlet for reuse items, and I would like to thank our volunteers for their hard work and dedication throughout the year. Their commitment has been instrumental in making our achievements possible.”
The online eBay shop which was set up in 2017 has enabled ‘new to you’ to reach global audiences, with customers from as far afield as Australia, New Zealand, USA and China.
It has also allowed them to set realistic prices for rare and expensive items that wouldn’t have been achievable just selling through the shop.
Councillor Andy Hadley, Portfolio Holder for Climate Response, Environment and Energy BCP Council said:
“This is a wonderful achievement for ‘new to you’ and I’d like to thank the whole team involved in making this small reuse shop such a success.
“new to you is great example of a council-run project benefitting the wider community, with the money raised, over and above the running costs, going to worthwhile council services for local people in need, in addition to helping local charities and community groups.
“The shop also reduces our waste disposal costs with the items being diverted from landfill, improving the environmental impact of the scheme as a bonus.”
The shop is open most Saturday mornings from 9.00am to 1.00pm.
Unwanted items that are suitable for reuse in the shop or online can be donated to Bournemouth or Poole’s recycling centres.