The team behind the Sully Sports car boot sale said the event, held on the club’s sports ground, is “well organised and popular” and that the vast majority of buyers and sellers behave responsibly. They said only a small number of buyers had refused to follow basic parking instructions designed to keep everyone safe.
In a public announcement, organisers warned that “no one has a right to park where they want” or to be abusive towards stewards who are carrying out the traffic management plan set by the boot sale team. They said such behaviour would not be tolerated.
The boot sale is due to resume on Sunday, May 24, weather permitting, with extra stewarding and new measures in place to tackle any abuse or aggression towards staff. Organisers said incidents are very rare but added that any unwarranted behaviour will now be recorded on CCTV.
They thanked the “many well wishers” who enjoy the car boot sale and have backed their stance against the small minority who “don’t accept basic instructions”.
Organisers previously had to postpone the Sully Sports car boot sale after a serious incident involving abusive behaviour towards volunteer stewards.
The event scheduled for Sunday, May 17 was called off following reports that a small number of visitors acted in an “aggressive and threatening and assaultive” manner towards staff.
Organisers said the conduct was completely unacceptable and that they took the decision to suspend the popular weekly sale while they reviewed safety and security arrangements.
The announcement at the time stressed that the behaviour of a minority had “ruined it for others”, but that the safety of anyone attending or working at the boot sale had to come first.
The boot sale team explained that their volunteers are simply trying to enforce traffic management and parking rules designed to keep people safe on and around the site. They also made clear that they would be stepping up security measures and considering additional protections for stewards before allowing the event to restart.
During the suspension, organisers received messages of support from regular buyers and sellers who backed their stance on tackling abuse and aggression.
Many expressed disappointment that the actions of a few had forced the postponement of a long-running community event that attracts visitors from across the Vale of Glamorgan.
