BARONS DELAYS BID FOR NEW LIVE SALE...
…auctioneer was hoping to hold 2 June auction with social distancing
Aclassic car auctioneer has decided to delay its plans to resume live sales – albeit with social distancing – by more than a month.
Barons was due to hold an auction at Sandown Park on 2 June – the first since lockdown restrictions were introduced – but it has now decided to push it back to 14 July due to the updated government guidelines.
Company secretary, Karen Ruffles, said: ‘The decision was made based on a number of factors, the first and most important being that with the ongoing threat of COVID-19, it is crucial that we prioritise the health and safety of both our customers and staff.
‘ We also feel that holding an auction in the current climate would not allow us to offer the top quality and personal customer service that we pride ourselves on, so holding off until July when restrictions should have been lifted slightly will offer the best option to both buyers and vendors.
Barons says that it is now encouraging classic owners to consign cars that they’re thinking of selling for the 14 July sale instead, stating that it will be ‘a fantastic opportunity’ because buyers will now be admitted to the auction free of charge.
CCW’s markets editor, Richard Barnett, said he was looking forward to the sale, and added: ‘Am I surprised to hear that Barons has pushed back its sale? Not at all – we’re living in the most peculiar times and that affects the idea of whether a ‘real’ sale is a goer or not.
‘Judging what and what isn’t within the law remains unclear and many people simply don’t feel that it’s right to go to a sale, even if they wanted to.
‘I think that Barons has made the right call – hold on for a little longer, get more cars in and, who knows, we might be going to sales once summer’s underway.’
❚ barons-auctions.com