Give a preloved treasure a new home

August 23, 2018 by Southend Borough Council

Vintage musical instruments, bicycles and Christmas decorations are just some of the items you might find at Southend’s newest reuse shop.

Situated at the Household Waste Recycling Centre at Stock Road, it is the first shop of its kind to be opened by Southend-on-Sea Borough Council in partnership with Veolia and was officially launched on 21 August by Councillor Mark Flewitt, cabinet member for public protection.

The shop will be managed on a daily basis by Community Reuse, which already successfully manages a shop at Kimpton Parkway in London. Staff are hoping visitors may find themselves a rare or unusual find. It will also help to reduce the amount of unwanted items going to waste. All items for sale have been collected directly from the Stock Road site and are sold at low prices. Residents who would like to donate can ask a member of staff. All items must be in good condition and safe to use. 

Blind auctions will take place on a monthly basis at Southend Reuse Shop with the first one being planned for this Saturday (25^th August). Bidders are able to inspect the goods prior to submitting a sealed bid. The auctions start at 9am and bids are accepted until 2pm when all the bids are opened. The winner of each lot is then contacted to pay and collect their goods at their convenience.

Cllr Mark Flewitt, cabinet member for public protection, said: “Every day, perfectly good items with a long lease of life are taken to our tips and end up in landfill. This is bad for the environment and costly for the council tax-payer.

“I’m delighted to see the reuse centre opening so that residents have a much more environmentally friendly alternative as well as a chance to find a bargain.”

Keith McGurk, Regional Director for Veolia, said: “You've probably heard the expression, "one man’s trash is another man’s treasure". This could be the old sofa someone was throwing out that you used as your first sofa, or the old lamps that you saw as kitsch art. 

“What is seen as old and replaceable to some, is worth something to others and this is what the new Reuse Shop in Southend is for.”

Steve Bell, manager of Community Reuse, said: “The concept of Reuse is in line with the waste hierarchy and by providing the shop, the Council and Veolia demonstrate that they are moving goods up the hierarchy and, in so doing, reducing the carbon footprint of the waste service whilst supporting the circular and local economy.”

The shop is open every day from 9am to 5pm (except Thursdays). The shop is open on bank holidays. For further information on Community Reuse please visit http://www.communityreuse.co.uk/southend

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