James Harrison sets up new auction house in Spalding

In a rare example of a positive coming out of the cost of living crisis, a Spalding businessman has set up a brand new enterprise.

James Harrison (27) says opening his auction house will cut out the middle men - such as eBay - who take large chunks of commission, at a time where every penny counts.

His new venture, JH Auctions, is set to host its first sale at its Burr Lane home on Wednesday, April 12.

“I’ve been running a business which clears waste electrical goods from businesses, schools and charities for the last four or five years,” James explained.

“However, costs of selling online at the moment are terrible.

You have eBay fees, which can be anywhere from 5% to 15%, plus VAT, shipping and packaging.

“It’s so bad and reduces what we make significantly.

“With the auction house, we have a way of moving much larger volumes of stock through, not just for us but for traders and the public.

“Through restructuring the warehouse over the past few months, we’ve now got the auction house.

“So something positive has come out of the costs of living crisis for us really.”

JH Auctions will also offer the chance for people who aren’t in the salesroom to bid through an online system.

On Mondays and Tuesdays, members of the public can drop off any items they’d like to sell and traders are encouraged to call ahead if they are bringing along a van full of goods.

Sellers will be charged 20 per cent, plus VAT on commission, while buyers will pay 15 per cent.

James is keen to encourage as many people as possible to get involved.

“Our ethos has always been about recycling and reusing - it’s really important,” he said.

“Anything going into the auction which is electrical will have function testing done so that people can buy with confidence.

“People will find that older items are very reliable - many still prefer used products and there’s always a demand for them. “

James believes the popularity of TV shows such as Bargain Hunt and Money for Nothing have opened second hand items up to a new market.

He said: “There’s always a good atmosphere at an auction and thanks to TV shows like Money for Nothing, people have really changed how they think about second hand or antique items.

“These items tell a story and they last longer too.

“There’s quite a good market for retro and shabby chic items at the moment.”

There are just a few days to go until the first auction takes place. Although James has conducted auctions before, Pete Goodacre will be taking control of the gavel.

“Pete is a very experienced auctioneer,” he said.

“We have been working closely with an auction in Corby so we have a good idea of how we want it to be structured.

“It’s taken three months of hard work to get ready and I’m excited but nervous at the same time.”

Find out more via the JH Auctions Facebook page or by calling 01775 562800.