Today, April 20 2024, BBC presents the series looking at the stories behind Britain’s most exciting traditional markets and getting under the skin of auction houses that are at the heart of coastal and rural economies.
Coast and Country Auctions Today, April 20 2024
| Date | Summary |
| Date | Summary |
|---|---|
| Monday, 25 July 2022 | No show after this date |
| Friday, 22 July 2022 | Snowdonia in north Wales - 800 square miles of spectacular mountains and coastline - is home to one of the UK's most important sheepdog auctions - the Bala Autumn sale. Nearly 80 dogs are on sale today, to buyers from all over the UK and beyond. With 33 million sheep in Britain, good sheepdogs are always in demand, and can sell for as much as £10,000. But today, auctioneers Glyn Owens and Elfor Morris have to battle atrocious weather. Seller Emrys Jones is a veteran of the sale. With a 25-acre smallholding, training and selling sheepdogs is an important part of his business. He hopes to get well over £2,000 for each of his dogs - Jim and Ross - at auction. His son Osian is buying today. The 26-year-old engineer who recently returned home after travelling abroad, is helping his dad with the business and hoping to buy a young dog of his own at the auction, to train up and sell later. Seller Dewi Williams also needs to supplement the income from his small farm. He's been training sheepdog Jess for eight months, and he and son Goronwy have high hopes. But how will the terrible weather affect them all? |
| Thursday, 21 July 2022 | The sign outside reads 'The World Famous Brixham Fish Market'. It's been here for over a hundred years, and business has never been better. They're currently turning over around £30 million a year - more than any other English fish auction. Over 70% of the fish they sell goes abroad. It's a tough life for auctioneers John Rogers and Todd Crombie, with 4.30am starts every week day. 'We don't get much kip', say the pair drily. For sellers like fisherman Matt Ould it can be a tough life too, with prices always unpredictable. He has just spent £100,000 on a new fishing boat and needs to make £400 a day to cover running costs and pay himself a decent wage. Buyers at the auction range from traders like Josh Perkes, spending thousands of pounds a day on fish that will go to his many high-end restaurant clients, to smaller local businesses like Jackson Ltd which has been in Matt Endacott's family for nearly 100 years. Matt has a fish and chip shop, a fishmongers and a smoke house - and needs to buy enough fish, at the right prices, to keep all three businesses going. |
| Wednesday, 20 July 2022 | South west England is one of Britain's premier farming areas, and at its heart is Exeter Livestock Market - the biggest agricultural auction in the West Country. On a busy day, they can sell nearly 4,000 animals here - from cattle and pigs to sheep and calves - and turnover as much as £700,000. For sheer scale, one animal outstrips them all - sheep. There are nearly 2,500 to sell today. In fact, the auction was taken over by new management five and a half years ago, and they have just celebrated selling one million sheep in that time. Seller Stuart Crang is bringing 80 sheep to market today. Sheep rearing is seasonal, and he has to make the most of his income in the next few months, so prices are vital. With the average sheep selling for around £60, every pound can make a real difference. Buyer Roger Heggadon has to take care he doesn't pay too much. With nearly 2,000 sheep on his farm, and another 100 to buy today, it's a volume business that needs a clear head at auction. In the pig auction next door, buyer Rodney Phillips needs volume too. With over 40 regular customers to supply across the West Country - from butchers to wholesalers - he needs to buy at least 100 pigs to meet all his orders and keep his customers happy. |
| Tuesday, 19 July 2022 | No show |
| Monday, 18 July 2022 | No show |
About Coast and Country Auctions
Series looking at the stories behind Britain’s most exciting traditional markets and getting under the skin of auction houses that are at the heart of coastal and rural economies.
This show is broadcast on BBC, also known as the British Broadcasting Corporation.
