0:00:02 > 0:00:05The UK is in the grip of the worst financial crisis in decades
0:00:05 > 0:00:08and we're all feeling the pinch.
0:00:08 > 0:00:13With prices going up but wages coming down, more and more people
0:00:13 > 0:00:16are turning to the world's second oldest profession.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20Pawn broking, it's amazing how many people come in and use us
0:00:20 > 0:00:22when they've got no other alternative.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25Pawnbrokers will loan against anything. From the precious...
0:00:25 > 0:00:27You're up to 50K for the centre diamond alone.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30- ..To the bog standard. - Um, I think it's a Crapper.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33They step in where even bankers fear to tread.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37This is the last throw of the dice by one family to save the company.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39- Got all six there? - Six there, yeah.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41But they too, charge for their services.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45Grand total that comes to is £368.51.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48And for some that can be the last straw.
0:00:48 > 0:00:52Well, some days I don't eat, because I can't really afford to.
0:00:53 > 0:00:54Welcome to Cash Britain.
0:00:57 > 0:01:01For six months, our cameras have been following the pawn business
0:01:01 > 0:01:02in Birmingham.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06- Hello.- Hiya.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09A lot of people come to us because they'd rather borrow money
0:01:09 > 0:01:11than actually sell their items.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13We've gained a unique insight into this world...
0:01:13 > 0:01:16They come in and pawn their gold that they've got.
0:01:16 > 0:01:21- How much d'you want on that, darling? - About £50 if you can. - 3, 4, 5.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25..Revealing the reasons that bring punters through the door.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27I need to give my daughter some money to help her out.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30- So you're her guardian angel? - I wouldn't go that far, no.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35She's made a complete shemozzle about everything, but she's 62.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38- Oh.- I'm 61!- 60...!
0:01:38 > 0:01:40THEY ALL LAUGH
0:01:40 > 0:01:43Voila!
0:01:45 > 0:01:49Meet Samantha, she's a full time mum to ten-year-old Jordan
0:01:49 > 0:01:53and five-year-old Georgina who suffers chronic lung disease.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55She wants to take them
0:01:55 > 0:01:59to her brother's passing out parade from the Royal Navy.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02It means everything to, to be there for my brother.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05Darren hasn't really done much with his life, you know,
0:02:05 > 0:02:09he's been in a lot of trouble, so I want my kids to see
0:02:09 > 0:02:12their uncle Darren achieving and doing something with his life.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16But with her husband's wage only covering the day-to-day essentials,
0:02:16 > 0:02:19Samantha's struggling to afford the 450-mile round trip to Plymouth.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22OK, are you going to be good for five minutes, then?
0:02:22 > 0:02:26We haven't had a very good year this year and with our daughter,
0:02:26 > 0:02:29she's had lots of surgery this year.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33We've got bills coming out of our ears and, I've got direct debits
0:02:33 > 0:02:36going out on the 1st, going out on the 5th and then
0:02:36 > 0:02:39I've got a couple more direct debits for the end of the month
0:02:39 > 0:02:42and unfortunately there isn't a spare £90 lying around
0:02:42 > 0:02:47for diesel money to get all the way down there to watch him pass out.
0:02:48 > 0:02:53Samantha's only option is to pawn some of her most prized possessions.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57- Are you all right there? - Hiya, you all right? It's my first time in a pawn shop.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00A virgin pawner.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03Just, just a short loan really.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06- Have you got a figure what you're looking for, or?- Couple of hundred?
0:03:06 > 0:03:09You've obviously got plans for this money then.
0:03:09 > 0:03:14Yes. Diesel money, to go and watch my brother pass out for the Royal Navy.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17Oh that's all right, innit? It's a good reason to pawn it, really.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20- But I want them back though. - Yeah, oh yeah, yeah, yeah.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23It's all rings that mean a lot to me - my engagement ring,
0:03:23 > 0:03:28a little ring that my mum had that was given to her from her dad.
0:03:28 > 0:03:32A friendship ring that my husband gave to me when we first got together
0:03:32 > 0:03:35and my Nan's wedding ring.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39And they always says to me, "If you find yourself in trouble,
0:03:39 > 0:03:41"this is your, to fall back on kind of thing."
0:03:41 > 0:03:46One of the old fashioned 22 carat wedding rings, probably got a bit of family history.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50They don't use a lot of 22 carat nowadays
0:03:50 > 0:03:52cos it's just too expensive, but in those days
0:03:52 > 0:03:55that's what everybody had, they all had D-shaped 22 carat wedding rings.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57Well, you've got about 130 there.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00- Yeah, that'll be... - It's a bit less than you wanted but,
0:04:00 > 0:04:02it is done purely on the weight of the metal.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04- Will that do you?- Yeah.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07She might be a bit short of her 200 quid target,
0:04:07 > 0:04:11but there's something Samantha won't part with.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14When my daughter was born, she was critically ill on the neonatal unit
0:04:14 > 0:04:17and she was on life support for like seven weeks, of her life,
0:04:17 > 0:04:21my husband got me that Mum ring, so yeah,
0:04:21 > 0:04:25that one meant a lot to me as well but that's staying on my finger!
0:04:25 > 0:04:27- There you, are my love.- Lovely,
0:04:27 > 0:04:30if I could reach through, I'd shake your hand
0:04:30 > 0:04:32but, I understand why they're there.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36- Yeah, it's, it's to keep us from attacking the customers. - For wanting more money!
0:04:36 > 0:04:40- Have a good day tomorrow, my love, bye.- Bye-bye.- Ta-ta mate, bye.
0:04:40 > 0:04:45Three nine carat rings, and that's the star of the show, the 22 carat one in there.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47That's a tank of diesel for her, basically.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52For more than 30 years,
0:04:52 > 0:04:55this family firm has been helping Brummies make ends meet.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59This is Gez my brother. Tell us what you do, Gez?
0:04:59 > 0:05:01- I do online pawn. - HE LAUGHS
0:05:04 > 0:05:07This is Sammy, my sister.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09I'm the one that tells my dad exactly what I think
0:05:09 > 0:05:12and I say it how it is. And I get away with it.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16- What do I do, Sam? - He gets in at 11 and leaves at 2.
0:05:16 > 0:05:17And I have an hour for lunch.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24Handmade silver antique cat,
0:05:24 > 0:05:28get arrested by the RSPCA for holding it like that, wouldn't I?
0:05:31 > 0:05:35Got one member missing from the core and that's Daddy.
0:05:35 > 0:05:40THEME FROM THE GODFATHER
0:05:40 > 0:05:41Dad's the boss, he's the gaffer.
0:05:45 > 0:05:46This is Dad.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53I've built this business up as a legacy for you to pass on,
0:05:53 > 0:05:57and to give you a good lifestyle and a good living for the future.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03Birmingham was once known as the workshop of the world.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06But the city's been hit hard by the credit crunch
0:06:06 > 0:06:09and even well-established companies
0:06:09 > 0:06:11are having to turn to the pawnbrokers for help.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16Meet Martin. His job is to bail out businesses in trouble.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19With the economic climate at the moment,
0:06:19 > 0:06:22with the banks and the Government the way they are,
0:06:22 > 0:06:25they're not lending any money at all so the only person that you can really come to
0:06:25 > 0:06:28and who's lending money at the moment,
0:06:28 > 0:06:30who's got more balls than the bank, is the pawnbrokers.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35- Morning, Gez.- How you doing? - Not bad, how's things?
0:06:35 > 0:06:39- Not too bad. You've got these diamonds for us to have a look at? - Yeah, got the bracelet and ring.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43Martin's trying to save a factory who can't get a bank loan to cover the wages.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46They've got payroll to pay and also
0:06:46 > 0:06:49there's a pressing requirement to get the bank overdraft down
0:06:49 > 0:06:51because the banks are all foreclosing on them.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55With 30 jobs on the line, the boss has asked Martin
0:06:55 > 0:06:58to cash in the family jewels to save the firm.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01I brought along two bracelets, all platinum and gold
0:07:01 > 0:07:05with diamonds in, a seven to eight carat diamond ring.
0:07:05 > 0:07:10That one's worth approximately, we think, 75,000 in a real good day,
0:07:10 > 0:07:13so let's see what we can do. There's probably £150,000
0:07:13 > 0:07:17worth of goods there. We have to get 35,000 today.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20Else the bank foreclose.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24Pawnbrokers will only lend
0:07:24 > 0:07:26a percentage of the value of your goods.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29So even with gems worth a fortune,
0:07:29 > 0:07:32there's no guarantee Martin will raise the readies.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35- That is a rock isn't it? - Is your dad around to help you out?
0:07:35 > 0:07:37Yeah, yeah, I'll give him a shout.
0:07:38 > 0:07:39- Dad?- Yeah.
0:07:39 > 0:07:44Can you come down a second, have a look at these diamonds that Martin just brought in?
0:07:44 > 0:07:48It's above my discretionary power, this one. I think.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56- Dad, Martin bought these in, look. - Blimey, they're nice.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58How much d'you need, Martin?
0:07:58 > 0:08:0135,000, Gez. See what you can offer quickly.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04This is the last throw of the dice by one family to save the company.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08When d'you need the money by?
0:08:08 > 0:08:10- Next 10 minutes.- What?!
0:08:10 > 0:08:15If the 30 jobs are to be saved, Martin needs £35,000 fast.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19It's not just large loans.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22All sorts of businesses are having to rely on the pawnbrokers
0:08:22 > 0:08:24to ease their cash flow problems.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26Hiya.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29Two years ago, Paul and Ez started their own cleaning company.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32But in the last few months they've had to lay off staff
0:08:32 > 0:08:34because of a cash crisis.
0:08:34 > 0:08:39We have got the work, we are busy, we are making money but, cash flow,
0:08:39 > 0:08:44is the route to a company kind of, you know, flowing.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46Despite a full order book,
0:08:46 > 0:08:48some customers aren't coughing up on time.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52And while Paul and Ez wait for their cash, the banks won't bail them out.
0:08:52 > 0:08:57- We don't meet the criteria.- There's lots of different boxes that perhaps
0:08:57 > 0:09:01we don't tick in order to be eligible for the loan.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04We can't walk away from it, cos we've still got bills to pay.
0:09:04 > 0:09:10To plug the gap, they've borrowed 750 quid against their jewellery.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13When they first came in, they were borrowing the money to
0:09:13 > 0:09:19pay off some bills that they'd got, and also people's wages, that week.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22So it was kind of, we need the money now.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25Believe it or not, they said, "We're coming in to you
0:09:25 > 0:09:28"and we need 750 quid now, but we're due £10,000."
0:09:30 > 0:09:34That was seven months ago, and now the pawn debt is mounting up.
0:09:34 > 0:09:35All right, darling.
0:09:35 > 0:09:36Hiya, how are you?
0:09:36 > 0:09:38I'm fine. And how have you been keeping?
0:09:38 > 0:09:40Same story, unfortunately.
0:09:40 > 0:09:42Still struggling, people not paying.
0:09:42 > 0:09:43- So...- It's a nightmare, Karl.
0:09:43 > 0:09:44A pickle, complete pickle.
0:09:44 > 0:09:49They've got some cash, but only enough to pay off the interest.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52Is it the one that was 750 loan?
0:09:52 > 0:09:54That's right.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57The monthly rate is 8.5%,
0:09:57 > 0:10:00costing them just shy of £64 a month.
0:10:01 > 0:10:06I think the price I was told was 446 or something around that.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08- 446.25.- That's right, yeah.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11I am a jewellery lover. I like bling.
0:10:11 > 0:10:16They're all jewellery that I wouldn't consider getting rid of at all
0:10:16 > 0:10:18but I'm able to temporarily use
0:10:18 > 0:10:22in order to put some money back into the business.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25I remember when my old man started, the banks wouldn't give us
0:10:25 > 0:10:27any more monies to carry on and my father had to go
0:10:27 > 0:10:30and pledge his items with another pawnbroker,
0:10:30 > 0:10:35our competitor now, to actually get, money to carry on.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38- 2, 4, 6... - They've bought themselves more time,
0:10:38 > 0:10:41but if their customers don't pay up soon,
0:10:41 > 0:10:45Paul and Ez could lose their business AND their jewels.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47I'll put them back in the safe for you,
0:10:47 > 0:10:49when you come in next time, you'll be taking them out.
0:10:49 > 0:10:50I'll be slipping them on.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52You have a good day, thank you.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55- OK, darling, you take care.- Bye. - Take care, both of you bye-bye.
0:10:55 > 0:11:00Small businesses need cash flow.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03Without the cash flow you could sink or swim.
0:11:08 > 0:11:13Pawning is best suited to short term loans,
0:11:13 > 0:11:15because the longer you leave your items, the more they'll cost you.
0:11:19 > 0:11:2550-year-old Michelle can't get a job because she suffers severe epilepsy.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28These are medications what I take.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31It's six of those and four of these.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37Take two of these, 14, 15, 16 tablets.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40Every day.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45It's a wonder I don't be rattling, all the tablets I've been taking.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51Four years ago after her dad died,
0:11:51 > 0:11:55Michelle got into financial difficulties.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58Living on benefits, the pawnbrokers was the only place
0:11:58 > 0:12:00she could get some extra cash.
0:12:00 > 0:12:04She borrowed nearly £600 against her gold.
0:12:04 > 0:12:09Wedding ring, an ID bracelet, earrings,
0:12:09 > 0:12:13we've got ladies rings, her items mean an awful lot to her.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16They were left to her by her mother and father.
0:12:16 > 0:12:20I think possibly there's somewhere between £3,500-4,000 worth of items.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26Over the years, she's probably paid in excess of £2,000 in interest.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31The high price of gold means selling just one or two of her items
0:12:31 > 0:12:33would completely clear the debt.
0:12:33 > 0:12:39But for sentimental reasons, Michelle won't part with any of it.
0:12:39 > 0:12:40All right, darling.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42What's kicking, Uncle Karl, what you saying?
0:12:42 > 0:12:44- How are you?- You all right? - You OK?- Yeah, man.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47Instead, she's just paying the interest.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50Today, it's seven months' worth.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52These have been in here some years, haven't they?
0:12:52 > 0:12:55- Oh, yes.- You've been extending them and extending them.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57I've been extending them and extending them.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59I could have bought an house by now, couldn't I, love?
0:12:59 > 0:13:00Couldn't I? Be truthful.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03MICHELLE LAUGHS
0:13:03 > 0:13:06- We've got all six there. - Six there, yes.
0:13:06 > 0:13:11OK, grand total that comes to is 368.51.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15I've got 400. Got some change for you as well, eh?
0:13:15 > 0:13:17Good one, Uncle Karl!
0:13:19 > 0:13:20That's nice.
0:13:21 > 0:13:2531.49 change, darling.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28And they'll be due up on the 13th of April.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30Not on a Friday, is it?
0:13:30 > 0:13:33If it is, I'll see you Saturday.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35Because I ain't coming out Friday,
0:13:35 > 0:13:39ain't coming out on 13th of April, if it's on a Friday!
0:13:39 > 0:13:43Forget that. No, I don't like it, I'm superstitious.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47- You take it easy, have a nice day. - Yeah, you have a nice day.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49- Enjoy yourself.- See you everybody.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51- Take care, darling. - See you later, Sam.- Bye-bye.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56The smiles mask Michelle's day to day struggles
0:13:56 > 0:14:00of managing on incapacity benefits of £80 a week.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04If I didn't pawn my jewellery I'd probably be living on the street,
0:14:04 > 0:14:09to tell you the truth. I'm not ashamed to say that.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12Many times I wouldn't have no food, I wouldn't be able to pay my bills.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17Some days I don't eat because,
0:14:17 > 0:14:19you can't really afford to.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25Food prices are too high, you know,
0:14:25 > 0:14:28sometimes all these things get me down and...
0:14:31 > 0:14:34..sometimes I've even think about, you know,
0:14:34 > 0:14:35ending my life,
0:14:35 > 0:14:39because, you can't see any light at the end of the tunnel.
0:14:39 > 0:14:43But, I have my Rebel to think about.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45He keeps me going.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49I think it does make life hard for her with her illnesses.
0:14:49 > 0:14:50She never goes on about it, though.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53Whenever she comes in and sees me, we always have a laugh.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56I don't want to sell them.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59Sentimental value. From my parents, you get me?
0:14:59 > 0:15:03That's why I didn't sell them. They're safe where they are.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07Maybe one day I'll be able to get them out, but not for now.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14Will Michelle ever find a way to buy back her gold?
0:15:14 > 0:15:16That's a good boy.
0:15:18 > 0:15:24Insolvency expert Martin is trying to save a local factory and 30 jobs.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28He needs to raise £35,000 by pawning the owner's diamonds.
0:15:28 > 0:15:34Daddy's called in gemologist Jackie to give the stones the once-over.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37Now, he tells they'd like to borrow up to £35,000 on these.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39A lot of money, yeah. Well, we'll break it down
0:15:39 > 0:15:43into the value of the diamonds, and then you can work out
0:15:43 > 0:15:47whether it's worth you borrowing on it to that value or not, right?
0:15:47 > 0:15:50In the shops, these diamonds would sell for £150,000,
0:15:50 > 0:15:53but the trade price is rock bottom,
0:15:53 > 0:15:58and that's what decides the pawn value.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00It's sometimes quite hurtful to say to somebody.
0:16:00 > 0:16:05Like that ring, that could be 70,000 quid insurance valuation,
0:16:05 > 0:16:08but we won't lend anything like that.
0:16:08 > 0:16:10So will they lend 35,000?
0:16:10 > 0:16:15Valuation on the diamonds alone is about £11,000.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19- Right, if I went out today to sell that for cash money...- Yeah.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22What would I be able to sell it for?
0:16:22 > 0:16:24Cos I'll tell you what I think I'd get.
0:16:24 > 0:16:25About five grand.
0:16:25 > 0:16:26I think five and a half.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28Yeah.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30The ring, Gerry, is a very big diamond.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33Where would you want to be, lending him some money on that?
0:16:33 > 0:16:34The trade price.
0:16:34 > 0:16:35You're up to 50K,
0:16:35 > 0:16:38so at the end of the day I'd offer half. 25.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40Well, we're getting somewhere now.
0:16:40 > 0:16:46We're up to £30,000 and he's looking for 35, so it's down to this now.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50The fate of the factory now rests on this last row of rocks.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55Diamond-wise in this, you're talking 1,470
0:16:55 > 0:16:58for the outside stones.
0:16:58 > 0:17:03The oval stones is about 4.5 carats x £800 a carat,
0:17:03 > 0:17:0636, plus your platinum.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09- So we're up to five grand on that. - Yeah.- Just about it.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11You're just about in.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14Time for the Guvnor to deliver his verdict.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16OK, Gez, how are we doing?
0:17:16 > 0:17:18Um, I've had the expert look at it.
0:17:18 > 0:17:19Yep.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23- We've had the trade valuation on it, and it's near enough.- OK.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25I can lend you the 35,000.
0:17:25 > 0:17:27OK, lovely. Deal done.
0:17:27 > 0:17:29- So this will keep the company going? - Yes.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32When you need money in business and you're really desperate,
0:17:32 > 0:17:34this is one way of doing it, isn't it?
0:17:34 > 0:17:36They're putting their assets up.
0:17:36 > 0:17:37It's helping them get to where they want,
0:17:37 > 0:17:40and that's what people need and today, the banks aren't doing that.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42Thank you, Gerry, see you later.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45This, on the day, saves 30 jobs
0:17:45 > 0:17:48and a business that's been going 110 years.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54The family don't just deal with gold and jewels.
0:17:54 > 0:18:00Now we're going to take you into what I call Aladdin's cave.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03All sorts of things pass through the back room.
0:18:03 > 0:18:09This was the Olympic torch from the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games,
0:18:09 > 0:18:12and it was signed by Muhammad Ali.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15There's things like the old saxophones.
0:18:17 > 0:18:22Antique toy cars, a violin. I like to pull this out
0:18:22 > 0:18:23when Sam's having a bit of a moan.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31I mean, I think that's beautiful.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35There's all sorts of stuff in here, a real little treasure trove.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38Old sword collection we've got here, look. Some of these items,
0:18:38 > 0:18:41you get left with them that long, it's hard to part with them.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45But there's one item that's found a place in Gez Junior's heart.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50It's a vintage car that once belonged to King George VI.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53Every day, I've been coming and sitting in this car
0:18:53 > 0:18:56and looking at it and imagining myself being the King.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00Built in Birmingham, the King ran the Lanchester
0:19:00 > 0:19:02as his own personal vehicle.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07I bet he wrote...he could have wrote The King's Speech in this car.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10But imagine, driving around...
0:19:10 > 0:19:14Sandringham, or whatever they call it.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16"G-g-g-get out the way".
0:19:16 > 0:19:19No, actually, I disagree with that,
0:19:19 > 0:19:24because he was so calm in his car, I bet he didn't stutter at all.
0:19:25 > 0:19:30I really feel very proud of Gerald, what he does and how he tries.
0:19:30 > 0:19:32"Move out the way! Do you know who I am?"
0:19:34 > 0:19:36But sometimes it's like trying
0:19:36 > 0:19:40to put a pint glass of beer into a half-pint glass.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43You have to wait till his brain grows a little to get it in.
0:19:43 > 0:19:44Honk, honk, honk.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50The car's owner, Mike, bought it at auction for 30 grand
0:19:50 > 0:19:54and then borrowed the same amount against the royal runabout.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56I need to get some money out of it.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59I needed to release some capital for something else I was doing,
0:19:59 > 0:20:04and where better to go than someone who'll accommodate you on that?
0:20:04 > 0:20:05But secondly, this is a big old car.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07Now, I've got a reasonably sized house,
0:20:07 > 0:20:09but I've got nowhere to put it, actually,
0:20:09 > 0:20:12and one of the great things about using Uncle's is,
0:20:12 > 0:20:13they store it for free.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17There's a few dents in it, Mike.
0:20:17 > 0:20:18Well, there's a few dents,
0:20:18 > 0:20:22but you don't kick the tyres to identify a dent, do you?
0:20:22 > 0:20:24No, but, you know, it's a bit of tyre kicking.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27What are you kicking the bloody tyres for?
0:20:27 > 0:20:30Now Mike has agreed to sell the car to Uncle's.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33But Gez needs to get an independent valuation
0:20:33 > 0:20:35to make sure they get it for the right price.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47While Gez plans his purchase strategy,
0:20:47 > 0:20:50Michelle's working on how to buy back her gold.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53And she's turning to her Uncle Stan for help.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55I like it when I come down here, it's lovely.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58It's like, it reminds me of being in Jamaica. It's good.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02It's nice, makes your body feel good.
0:21:03 > 0:21:08Stan grows his own, allowing Michelle to put some money aside.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12When I give her the cabbage, potatoes and pumpkin,
0:21:12 > 0:21:15it stop her from buy those things,
0:21:15 > 0:21:20and she can spend the money for something else.
0:21:20 > 0:21:22But rather than paying off more interest...
0:21:22 > 0:21:25- Oh!- Hello!- Hello!
0:21:25 > 0:21:27- Long time, no see. - Are you all right?
0:21:27 > 0:21:30- Yeah, good, how are you? - All right, not bad.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32..Michelle is starting to buy back her gold.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34I want to see
0:21:34 > 0:21:36what I can get out a little bit, like a little bit of jewellery.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38Anything in particular?
0:21:38 > 0:21:40I have to see what I can get for 50 quid.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42OK, how much have you got, sorry?
0:21:42 > 0:21:46- 50.- 50, OK. Have you been saving up for it?- Yeah.- Ah, that's good.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50We've got one there which would clear it. It's 48.20.
0:21:50 > 0:21:51Oh, yeah, that'll do.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55So what have we got there? We've got the chain.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57- Oh, right.- And your initials. - Yeah, cool, yeah, yeah.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02- Get on there, bit of that. - Yes, Uncle Karl, very nice.
0:22:02 > 0:22:06- Is that good? Put a nice little shine on there for you.- Thank you.
0:22:06 > 0:22:08It's a nice chain.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11This has been missing for me for a long time.
0:22:11 > 0:22:13Do you want me to come round
0:22:13 > 0:22:15- and give you a hand with that? - Yeah, please.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17- OK. - Cos I got these big fat fingers, man.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21Let's have a look. Pull it down, yeah.
0:22:21 > 0:22:22Yeah, you are short, see.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24- I'm taller than you. - I know you are.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28- See?- You OK? Yeah.- Nice to see you.- And you.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31I feel that happy, if I had wings, I could fly round the sky.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35I swear to God. I do, I really feel happy today.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41Yeah, this makes me smile.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48The King's car is up for grabs,
0:22:48 > 0:22:50and Jeremy the auctioneer has come along
0:22:50 > 0:22:53to give Gez a realistic valuation.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55It does need some work, doesn't it?
0:22:55 > 0:22:56- TLC.- Doesn't half.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58Oh, you can see here. Jeremy,
0:22:58 > 0:23:00they had this fantastic air conditioning system
0:23:00 > 0:23:01that they had in those days.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03Let's go and sit in the car.
0:23:03 > 0:23:04Original upholstery?
0:23:04 > 0:23:06Original upholstery in there at the moment.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08The Queen Mother would sit here.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10This is where the Queen would have sat.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13- Yeah.- And the old, er...- Everyone would have smoked in those days.
0:23:13 > 0:23:18Yeah, the old ashtrays. Right, then, we'd better "g-g-g-g-get out".
0:23:19 > 0:23:22It might have a great history, but what's it worth today?
0:23:24 > 0:23:26It's an expensive thing to do, restoration.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28If it's a business matter, you need to do your sums
0:23:28 > 0:23:31and weigh it up, cos it needs to appreciate quite a lot
0:23:31 > 0:23:32to get that return
0:23:32 > 0:23:34on that kind of level.
0:23:34 > 0:23:38- I think 40 to 50 would be my feel. - OK.- In the state it's in, really.
0:23:38 > 0:23:39What if I was to spend,
0:23:39 > 0:23:43say £30,000, £40,000 doing it up, what kind of value would it be then?
0:23:43 > 0:23:45You don't often see the money back
0:23:45 > 0:23:48if you're investing for other reasons than to own and to love.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53Yes, ultimately, the market will decide.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55OK, that's great. Thank you very much, Jeremy,
0:23:55 > 0:23:57I really appreciate that. Thank you, mate, cheers.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00If it's going to take a king's ransom to buy and do up,
0:24:00 > 0:24:03is it worth the bother?
0:24:06 > 0:24:10Mum of two Samantha doesn't have any spare cash.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12We've got bills coming out of our ears,
0:24:12 > 0:24:16and unfortunately there isn't a spare £90 lying around for diesel money.
0:24:16 > 0:24:20She pawned four rings so she and her kids could go
0:24:20 > 0:24:23to brother Darren's Royal Navy passing out parade.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25Well, you've got about 130 there.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28And with the cash, they made it.
0:24:31 > 0:24:32Had a lot of things going against me,
0:24:32 > 0:24:36you know, the fact that I had no money and I had to pawn the rings,
0:24:36 > 0:24:41but I was that determined, I made sure I was going to get there.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45That was the best day of my life, knowing you and the kids were there.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47- Oh!- You know, thank you for coming.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50You know what, I wouldn't have missed it for the world, Daz.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53At the time I didn't know that my sister had pawned
0:24:53 > 0:24:56all her rings to get down to see me. In fact,
0:24:56 > 0:24:58if I'd have known, I'd probably have told her not to.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01Now he does look like a sailor, doesn't he?
0:25:01 > 0:25:04It's a moment that needs to be shared with the family.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06Everything was just brilliant, and Jordan enjoyed it
0:25:06 > 0:25:09and he was just looking around, being amazed with all the people that were there.
0:25:09 > 0:25:14For my family to share all that with me is the best,
0:25:14 > 0:25:17and you can't ask for any more than that.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19I am glad I made that decision,
0:25:19 > 0:25:22because I know I can get my rings back, and my family's worth it.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24Definitely, my brother's worth it.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27THEY CHEER
0:25:27 > 0:25:31King George's limo now belongs to Uncle's.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33They did a deal worth 43 grand,
0:25:33 > 0:25:37and now Gez and his dad are en route to the restorers
0:25:37 > 0:25:39to find out if it's a good investment.
0:25:40 > 0:25:45We both have no idea of what the final cost will be,
0:25:45 > 0:25:47but then again I suppose with any project we do,
0:25:47 > 0:25:49if we knew what it cost before we started,
0:25:49 > 0:25:51we probably wouldn't do them.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54Never before has such a poor man
0:25:54 > 0:25:58owned such a rich man's "c-c-c-car".
0:26:02 > 0:26:04- Right then, this is it.- There she is.
0:26:04 > 0:26:05We're going to take it down
0:26:05 > 0:26:08- to the metal. - All the way?- Yes.- Everywhere.- Yeah.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12- These will get re-chromed and nickel plated.- Yeah.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15There's a lot of timber in it that'll probably need replacing.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18This material here, we're looking to get hold of.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21- Yeah. - But if we can't, we'll have it made.
0:26:21 > 0:26:25- What kind of timescale do you think this is?- At least 12 months.- Oh, OK.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28- Mm-hmm.- I thought that.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30The repair costs are mounting.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32But there's one consolation...
0:26:32 > 0:26:34ENGINE STARTS
0:26:34 > 0:26:35..at least the car starts.
0:26:35 > 0:26:40Oh, it's beautiful. It's a lovely engine.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42It's still nice and tight,
0:26:42 > 0:26:45and as it was when it was built.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47So how much will it cost to repair?
0:26:47 > 0:26:51At the moment, what kind of ballpark figure are we looking at?
0:26:51 > 0:26:52Hundred grand at least.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54Right.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57Gez's worst fears have come true.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02There's only one thing that can save his skin now.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07What do you think the car could potentially be worth?
0:27:07 > 0:27:10I mean, of similar cars going through,
0:27:10 > 0:27:13I would have thought half a million at least.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16Oh, my God.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20- And if it was, you don't mind spending the money do you?- No.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23Thank you very much.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26When we sell it, then, what's my cut? For the hard work.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29Oh, get lost. What do you know about restoring cars?
0:27:29 > 0:27:31You know as much about restoring cars as eating that grass.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33Unbelievable.
0:27:33 > 0:27:37Half a million quid? We'd better ring Karl.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42Next time: Karl does an expensive spot of recycling.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44Whoa, all that scrap that we've got.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46- It doesn't look like 40 grand, does it?- No.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49A regular punter brings in some seriously heavy metal.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53Use that as an anchor chain for the Titanic.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56And hard times force one customer to sell his wedding ring.
0:27:56 > 0:27:58Want to sell it?
0:27:58 > 0:28:00But he's not told the wife.
0:28:00 > 0:28:02I don't want to tell her because she will be angry.
0:28:25 > 0:28:29Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd