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South Gloucestershire Wot Not second-hand shop turns 40

Wot Not Old photo of five men stood behind the counter in Wot Not, surrounded by antiquesWot Not
The shop has largely retained the same ownership and staff for 37 years

A second-hand shop which supplies set contents to popular TV shows is about to celebrate its 40th anniversary.

Wot Not, based in Westerleigh in South Gloucestershire, sells salvaged items on commission to the general public.

It was set up by partners Teresa Woods and Rodney Newman, who opened the shop in 1984 aged 18 and 20, after their hobby of collecting "grew and grew".

A huge skull, an old gravestone, coffin and speed boat are among their most unusual sales.

Famous customers of Wot Not include The Crown actor Dominic West, TV presenter Josie Gibson and former football manager Ian Holloway.

The pair salvage most of their stock from housing clearances, meaning they do not own any of it, and can sell items on commission.

"Recycling is our game and always has been," said Ms Woods.

Teresa Woods, Co-owner of Wot Not standing beside a life size prop of a man playing a guitar
Ms Woods says "you see something different every day" working in the shop

"It began as more of a hobby, my partner loved to collect stuff, he loved to go to the tip and make use of stuff that had been thrown away, to reinvent it.

"We hadn't realised what a hole in the market there was, because it just grew and grew."

Four decades after it first opened its doors, Ms Woods says the "secret to their success" is honest pricing and good people skills.

Their most popular customer base are theatre and TV companies, who scout the shop for elaborate set pieces or interesting props.

Wotnot A stage skullWotnot
A huge stage skull was among the items sold at the shop

"When they were filming Doc Martin in Cornwall they used to come here and fill a van up with period clothing and coastal-themed ornaments to do the sets down there," said Ms Woods.

She added Wot Not "pre-dates" second hand shopping platforms like eBay and Facebook marketplace, and even survived the online buying trends that soared during Covid-19 lockdowns.

Shelves full of knick-knacks and small statues, clocks and lamps

"In a throw-away society, we have always been here to help people recycle their furniture and furnishings. Some of the items we'll see several times over.

"It's a good thing to do, especially now with regards to the environment and the planet, we do need to do more," she added.

The shop's official anniversary is on Sunday, but the pair plan to honour its opening on Friday 19 April, to celebrate alongside their loyal staff members.

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