0:00:02 > 0:00:05Times may be tough across the UK but one business is flourishing.
0:00:05 > 0:00:07As more and more people flog family treasures,
0:00:07 > 0:00:10the pawnbrokers are cashing in.
0:00:10 > 0:00:11670 quid there.
0:00:11 > 0:00:13You're joking?
0:00:13 > 0:00:17For six months, we've seen how one pawn business in Birmingham makes its money,
0:00:17 > 0:00:20and how desperate people are for their services,
0:00:20 > 0:00:21whether it's for the basics...
0:00:21 > 0:00:25People are pawning just to get £10 to get themselves some bread and milk.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27It's the way it is.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29..or luxuries we can ill afford.
0:00:29 > 0:00:33I've packed up gambling three days a week.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36I've got to pack up for seven days a week.
0:00:36 > 0:00:41Pawnbroking may be a last resort, but their services don't come cheap.
0:00:41 > 0:00:46Some days I don't eat because you can't really afford to.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50But there's no shortage of punters ready to do whatever it takes to get by.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53That is one of the weirdest things I've ever had in.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55I have not had somebody come in with a gold tooth.
0:00:55 > 0:01:00Welcome to Cash Britain.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05For more than 30 years, Gerry Snr has been buying and loaning
0:01:05 > 0:01:07against all sorts of things
0:01:07 > 0:01:10and now he wants his kids to take over the reins.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13I don't want to leave them this business
0:01:13 > 0:01:15where they sell it and live in the Cayman Islands.
0:01:15 > 0:01:17I want them to get on it and work it.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23This afternoon, if it's a mad rush, it could be a stampede.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25I don't wish people to get crushed in the shop,
0:01:25 > 0:01:27but, hey, I'm here to take their money.
0:01:30 > 0:01:3355 grand's worth of stamps. What have you done today, eh?
0:01:35 > 0:01:39Trying to get them to gel together can be a bit awkward at times.
0:01:39 > 0:01:41Someone puts a little post on Facebook
0:01:41 > 0:01:43and you respond within 30 seconds.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45Someone puts an e-mail into our business
0:01:45 > 0:01:48and it takes you two days to respond.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51I look haggard and tired and worn out.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53Oh, just put on loads of weight.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55It's what this shop does to me.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59The bank manager sent me a letter in red this time,
0:01:59 > 0:02:01cos he likes me so much, yeah.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04I actually want to get a little set of drums and a cymbal and go,
0:02:04 > 0:02:05b-b-tsk!
0:02:09 > 0:02:10It's Friday the 13th
0:02:10 > 0:02:15and handyman Michael is hoping it's a good day to visit the pawnbrokers.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19- You all right, mate? - You all right, mate? Yes.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23I've got some bits of tat. I want to see if they're worth anything.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26Today I didn't have no work so I just thought I'd come and try my luck,
0:02:26 > 0:02:28weigh it in, see what I'd get for it.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32Let's have a look. Pound coin's worth a quid.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34Right, let's have weigh up.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37Nine-carat bracelet and a nine-carat watch case.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40'I know gold had gone up, but...'
0:02:40 > 0:02:42I was only expecting about £150 at the most.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45On this stuff here - you might have a shock on this - you've got...
0:02:45 > 0:02:48670 quid there.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52- You're joking?- No. It's what I said, yeah!
0:02:52 > 0:02:53Yeah, 670 quid there.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56When he said 670, I thought it was a wind-up at first.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59I can't get me hat on.
0:02:59 > 0:03:01I've had them knocking about for ever and a day.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04- I thought, "I'll weigh them."- And you thought, "I'll get rid of them."
0:03:04 > 0:03:05Oh no, I meant 50 quid(!)
0:03:05 > 0:03:07I know you're an honest bloke. Don't worry.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09670 quid there.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12I'll just go and get some dosh for you. 670 quid.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14See if the notes are still dry.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17Being Friday the 13th, it's been a lucky day for me.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19Waiting for something bad to happen to me next.
0:03:19 > 0:03:2420, 40, 60, that makes 70. There you are, my man.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26I'll see you later. mate. Ta-ta, mate, bye.
0:03:26 > 0:03:28'Couple of pieces.'
0:03:28 > 0:03:30First one's a nine-carat bracelet.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33And the other one's a nine-carat watch.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36It's quite an old one, this, presented 1966
0:03:36 > 0:03:40and they don't give the gold watches out any more like that, do they?
0:03:40 > 0:03:44They want it to go, it's gone, so it'll go in the tub and get melted.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47It's not been a bad day's work already. I haven't done a stroke yet.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49I think I can put a tenner on Watchmaker
0:03:49 > 0:03:54and I might have a go at £5 each way on White Diamond.
0:03:54 > 0:03:59- Couple of winners there for Friday 13th, hopefully.- Looks good, hope so.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01'Hopefully have more money by the end of today.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04'Come four o'clock, I'll have a couple of winners in my pocket,'
0:04:04 > 0:04:08and won't have to go to work if I carry on at this rate. I can retire.
0:04:08 > 0:04:10See you later.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12Dream on, Michael.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15Watchmaker fell at the third and White Diamond came in fourth.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24For some people, pawning and betting go hand in hand.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28- Hello.- Hiya. - That's my Cartier watch there.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31- Yeah.- How much can I have on it, please? About 150, 200?
0:04:31 > 0:04:33You want 150?
0:04:33 > 0:04:35Halil's watch has been in the safe
0:04:35 > 0:04:37almost as much as it's been on his wrist.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40- How are you, anyway? - Terrible.- Terrible? Why?
0:04:40 > 0:04:42Yeah, absolutely terrible. Still gambling.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44SHE TUTS
0:04:44 > 0:04:46Terrible thing for a man.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49It gets addictive. It's like shopping for a woman, isn't it?
0:04:49 > 0:04:53At least you've got us to fall back on.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55- Not for long, though.- Not for long.
0:04:55 > 0:04:59Don't be gambling this money now.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02This one is going on number three at 2.30 at Haydock today.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04- No, it's not.- All right, then.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06No more gambling, you!
0:05:06 > 0:05:09- See you later.- See you later. - Bye.- Bye.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12'I have quite a few customers that come in for the money to gamble
0:05:12 > 0:05:15'and then they come back a couple of hours later if they've won,'
0:05:15 > 0:05:19or sometimes you don't hear off them for another four, five, six weeks.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22Gambling is my second name, I reckon.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24HE LAUGHS
0:05:24 > 0:05:26In the early days, I used to lose all my wages.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29I used to pick up £250, £300 a week,
0:05:29 > 0:05:32and used to walk to the bookies on a Saturday morning.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35By about two o'clock in the afternoon, be skint.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40I know some people might look at gambling as a bad thing,
0:05:40 > 0:05:44but for other people it's a hobby, isn't it? It's something to do.
0:05:44 > 0:05:49I once put £1,000 on a British runner in the Greek Olympics.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53I'll never forget her. She pulled up, bad leg.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01While Halil remains optimistic, others are more cautionary.
0:06:01 > 0:06:07I've lost 90 grand, a wife, three houses and four children
0:06:07 > 0:06:08through gambling
0:06:08 > 0:06:12and I can't sleep of a night if I owe people money.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19I bet the money on horses.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24You can't win on the dogs. You can't win at the horses.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26You can't win at gambling.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30I shouldn't have borrowed the money. I'm in debt through gambling.
0:06:32 > 0:06:37Six months ago, William pawned his gold ring for 50 quid.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40I haven't got the money to pay for my ring,
0:06:40 > 0:06:43but can I renew it for six months, please?
0:06:43 > 0:06:45Cos I don't want to lose my ring.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47'He's a regular customer.'
0:06:47 > 0:06:51He's just been in and paid interest on his ring, signet ring.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55It's a nice little signet ring, actually. Half-engraved.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58I borrowed £50 and I've got to pay £70 back.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00So it's a safer bet.
0:07:00 > 0:07:06That's why I paid nearly £30 interest for six months
0:07:06 > 0:07:11so I can get my ring back when I get the money in six months' time.
0:07:11 > 0:07:12So what are you up to for the rest of the day?
0:07:12 > 0:07:14Well, I'm going to pay me debts
0:07:14 > 0:07:17and I might have a bit of luck in the bookies.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19- But I'll take it easy. - Take it easy.- Not go too wild.
0:07:19 > 0:07:23- No.- Good man.- I only can afford to lose a tenner.- Good man.
0:07:23 > 0:07:29'We do get a few people that come in and they're gamblers, shall we say.
0:07:29 > 0:07:30'There's a bookies over the road.
0:07:30 > 0:07:32'They go and nip over there, they put a few pound on.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35'Nine times out of ten, they lose.'
0:07:35 > 0:07:37If I put a pound on every tip I'd been given, I'd be skint by now.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41I've packed up gambling three days a week.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44I've got to pack up for seven days a week,
0:07:44 > 0:07:50but the only challenge I've got in life is to have a bet, not a lot,
0:07:50 > 0:07:53because you can't win, at the end of the day.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56The more you put on, the more you'll lose.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03With prices up and wages down,
0:08:03 > 0:08:06more and more of us are feeling the pinch.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09Mark is a lawyer.
0:08:09 > 0:08:14But with money tied up in a house move, he needs to free up some cash.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17I have had a number of items in storage for quite a long time,
0:08:17 > 0:08:20and it seemed to me it was more sensible to use the assets I've got
0:08:20 > 0:08:25to raise some money against them and let someone else have the cost
0:08:25 > 0:08:30of storage and insurance and use some cash from them in the meantime.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34He's hoping his art and pottery will see him quids in.
0:08:34 > 0:08:39This is a painting by the Irish artist Ken Moroney.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41It was bought for about £500.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44I would expect that the value's increased since then
0:08:44 > 0:08:46to maybe between 600 and 800.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49Based on the research that I've done,
0:08:49 > 0:08:52this particular artist's work is collected widely,
0:08:52 > 0:08:56so, as far as I'm concerned, it's something that would be a good asset
0:08:56 > 0:08:58to hold against the loan.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01I've also bought a Royal Doulton dinner service.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04I'm hoping to go away with about £1,000.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07It's always useful to have more rather than less cash.
0:09:07 > 0:09:11Mark's confident he'll get his money.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15But Karl wants to check the figures at a local auction house.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17- Hello, I'm Jeremy.- Nice to meet you.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19I think we should start with the Ken Moroney.
0:09:19 > 0:09:25He's very well known for his Anglo-Irish Impressionist work.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27This one at auction, I would hazard,
0:09:27 > 0:09:30it was probably £300, £400 worth, I'd have thought.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33Not the start he wanted.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37- Shall we move on to the other items? - Sure.- And carry on with those?
0:09:37 > 0:09:39It's a Royal Doulton dinner service. Ravenswood.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42These prices I've literally just got off eBay.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44- Total is about £2,000. - Couple of grand.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46You like the design, do you?
0:09:46 > 0:09:48There's a limit to where you could place this
0:09:48 > 0:09:51- in pounds, shillings and pence in my world.- OK.
0:09:51 > 0:09:55- This is not a kind of investable piece.- Right.
0:09:55 > 0:10:01- This is not an antique which will go up in value, I'd surmise.- OK.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04Where would you want to be if you were loaning money on this?
0:10:04 > 0:10:06I reckon £100 or £200.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09- Pretty harsh.- I realise.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13I can only speak from what I know from selling things, seeing things.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16There is a benchmark, and, you know, there's enough of this stuff on eBay.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19I don't see how those figures work on eBay, I really don't.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23That's another disappointment.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26You'll always be disappointed if you come to an auctioneer.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29Being honest, Mark, it sounded a lot of money to me at first,
0:10:29 > 0:10:32but I was hoping it was, like, yes.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36- Well, look, it's a negotiation. - Yeah.- We'll come up with a number.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41'I thought that the auctioneer's valuations were extremely harsh'
0:10:41 > 0:10:44and very much on the bottom end of what I would expect.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49Take a seat, Mark.
0:10:51 > 0:10:56So where do you want to be in loaning money against the picture
0:10:56 > 0:10:58and your Royal Doulton?
0:10:58 > 0:11:01If I could leave here with £500, £600 then that would be worth my trip.
0:11:01 > 0:11:03- Would you be with that?- Yeah.
0:11:03 > 0:11:05You've got a deal, then. Good man. Thank you.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09Despite the valuations, Karl's taking a punt.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12If he doesn't come back for the painting, we'll keep it in the shop.
0:11:12 > 0:11:13I like it.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15I think that's going to grow into money.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18Mum, if you could count me out 600, please.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20That's grand.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23'No, I have no intention of leaving them to be sold.
0:11:23 > 0:11:24'I shall definitely be back.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28'They're all personal items which have significant personal meaning.'
0:11:28 > 0:11:29Thank you very much.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36The commonest pawn is jewellery.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42But although they might generate lots of cash,
0:11:42 > 0:11:45there are some things money can't buy.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50Paul gave up work to look after his wife Lynn
0:11:50 > 0:11:52when she was diagnosed with cancer.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55I've been a carer for almost seven or eight years, really.
0:11:55 > 0:12:00She'd been ill, she'd been up and down, up and down all the time now
0:12:00 > 0:12:02and for the last three or four years
0:12:02 > 0:12:05she's been really ill with lung and heart problems.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08She went into hospital, and...
0:12:08 > 0:12:10it was such a shock, you know.
0:12:10 > 0:12:16Nobody ever thought she was going to die. But unfortunately she did.
0:12:16 > 0:12:20After Lynn's death a year ago, Paul had money problems,
0:12:20 > 0:12:24and he took the difficult decision to pawn her gold.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27I just needed to do that, I needed to just get some cash,
0:12:27 > 0:12:31get some food on the table, basically, and pay the bills, you know.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34Things have to be done, you know. Last resort.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37It's, like, better than having a loan off a loan shark or whatever,
0:12:37 > 0:12:40who charge you so much interest it's unbelievable.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43Now he wants to get her jewellery back.
0:12:43 > 0:12:47But without the money to redeem it, he has to pawn something else.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51Hello, mate. You all right?
0:12:51 > 0:12:53All right. Yeah. What you trading at today?
0:12:53 > 0:12:55- To pawn or sell?- To pawn, pawn, yeah.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57To pawn... Was it nine carat?
0:12:57 > 0:13:00- Between about £8-£9 a gram. - I think there's 27 grams there.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09With this money, I'm going to get my wife's jewellery out.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11- I've got the thing here so... - Righty-o.- I don't want to lose that.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13Yeah, yeah, yeah, no trouble, yeah.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16- You're putting this in to get your wife's out?- That's it.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20- Does she know you're getting the stuff out?- No, she passed away.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23- Oh, dear, I'm sorry.- I just don't want to lose it, cos, you know...
0:13:23 > 0:13:29Oh, no, no, you don't, under them circumstances. I don't blame you at all.
0:13:29 > 0:13:33It just reminds me... I would never have let it go, no matter what.
0:13:33 > 0:13:38There'll always be something here with jewellery to remind me of her.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45He's just come in and he's putting his stuff in, make the balance up,
0:13:45 > 0:13:48cos he said, under the circumstances, it means a lot to him.
0:13:55 > 0:13:59That's the goodies. That's the important bit back, innit?
0:13:59 > 0:14:03There you go mate, yeah, yeah. Job done. Cheers. Ta-ra, mate.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06They're the bits he's put in, look, signet ring.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10It's obviously his. And bits and pieces there.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12'Does have a lot of sentimental value to me as well.'
0:14:12 > 0:14:15It's the signet ring that my wife bought me,
0:14:15 > 0:14:18and I had to put my wedding ring in, so I must get that out.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20A chain, a gold chain,
0:14:20 > 0:14:22that she bought me as well.
0:14:22 > 0:14:27So them things will have to get out for definite, you know?
0:14:27 > 0:14:30Cos that's another part of my wife, really.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32He's done the deed and we've got his stuff in here now
0:14:32 > 0:14:36which will be up in another six months' time.
0:14:36 > 0:14:37But the most important thing to Paul
0:14:37 > 0:14:41is that he's finally got his wife's jewellery back.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44It's nice to see them. I thought I was going to lose them.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46But, you know, I knew that I couldn't let them go.
0:14:46 > 0:14:51This is what I bought her for her 40th birthday, this was.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55This was what I got her when she was 50,
0:14:55 > 0:14:57this one.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01And these were just all bought in-between.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04These two are the most sentimental ones, really.
0:15:04 > 0:15:09When you're hard up for money, you have to do it this day and age.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12It has to be done to survive, really, you know what I mean?
0:15:18 > 0:15:20All manner of objects come to the pawnbrokers.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27And Gez always wanted to be a train spotter.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30Everything works in here as well,
0:15:30 > 0:15:33so it's actually a coal-fired steam engine.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35It's fantastic, isn't it?
0:15:35 > 0:15:38Imagine having your own little train track in the garden and one of these.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42You'd have some fun, wouldn't you? Woo-woo!
0:15:42 > 0:15:45The guy contacted us off the website, saw we take items of value,
0:15:45 > 0:15:49phoned us up and asked us if we'd be interested doing a loan.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51He wants as much as he can get.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55Now it's my job to get it valued and find out what it's worth.
0:15:55 > 0:15:56Bloody hell!
0:15:56 > 0:16:01I've got absolutely no idea. Never had one before.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05Be very interesting to find out a bit more about this train,
0:16:05 > 0:16:07see if we can get a bit of history.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09Be a bit of a learning curve for me.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13- They're normally heavy. - It weighs a ton.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17- They do weigh a ton. Can we go and get a valuation on it?- Yeah.
0:16:19 > 0:16:24- Not going to fire it up and just drive it in, are you?- Wish I could.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27It's a nice-looking live steam tank loco.
0:16:27 > 0:16:31It's about five inch.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34Five inches is big.
0:16:34 > 0:16:35These can tug some weight.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38Oh, yeah, that's got a bit of power in it.
0:16:38 > 0:16:42And overall looks in pretty good nick.
0:16:42 > 0:16:47Just missing a top but that's such an easy job, really,
0:16:47 > 0:16:49cos all these are scratch built.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52So someone's actually physically made this as well on a lathe?
0:16:52 > 0:16:55Yeah, and put it all together. They're a labour of love.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57They're hundreds of hours' worth of work.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00If you were paying a craftsman to do it,
0:17:00 > 0:17:03- it'd be tens of thousands of pounds almost.- Right, OK.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05It's not like something you can go out and buy.
0:17:05 > 0:17:06Somebody had to make that.
0:17:06 > 0:17:11People pay hundreds of pounds just for a decent set of wheels.
0:17:11 > 0:17:15The engineering tolerance is as good on these as it is on the real thing.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19I bet they're fantastic. Thousandths of inch territory.
0:17:19 > 0:17:21But what's it worth?
0:17:22 > 0:17:24It's definitely worth a few thousand.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26Auctioneers are fairly cautious bods
0:17:26 > 0:17:29but I'd have thought, if I was estimating it,
0:17:29 > 0:17:32I'd like it at two, three, cos then it's going to sell for sure.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35- So two to three, we're on the right track.- Yes, yes! Very good.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38- Absolutely.- I don't want to go steaming ahead with the wrong price.
0:17:38 > 0:17:42No, you're too quick for me, clearly.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44Time to break the news to the owner.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47Hello, it's Gerry from Uncles here. How are you doing?
0:17:47 > 0:17:51The auction house I've just took it to have valued it £2,000 to £3,000
0:17:51 > 0:17:56and, based on that, the maximum I could lend you is £1,650.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58OK, that's fantastic. OK.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01Thank you very much. Bye-bye, bye-bye.
0:18:01 > 0:18:06He said he'll be doing the loan with us, so there you go.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08He seemed like a happy customer.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14Birmingham is the UK's second largest city,
0:18:14 > 0:18:17and 15% of the population relies on income support.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24Meet Claire. She's passionate about painting.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28And these are some of my artworks.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33I used to do it quite a bit. Therapeutical as well.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37Might not be everyone's cup of tea but it's my cup of tea.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40A bad back and mounting health problems
0:18:40 > 0:18:42have left her struggling to paint.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47And that was my last piece I did. That's about a year ago.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51But I'm not able to stand up and paint again as I used to
0:18:51 > 0:18:55cos I'm not able to stand up for any great length of time.
0:18:55 > 0:19:01Over the last five years, really, started to really affect me badly,
0:19:01 > 0:19:04cos I can't move around like I used to.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07I used to like to walk round the neighbourhood. I find it very hard.
0:19:07 > 0:19:12I'm 56 now, but I didn't expect to end up being ill like this.
0:19:12 > 0:19:17With limited mobility, Claire's dependent on her mobile phone.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19My phone's very important to me.
0:19:19 > 0:19:21It's not just there because it's a phone.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23I need it because of medical reasons.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28But she needs a new sim card.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32And with her incapacity benefit not due for a week,
0:19:32 > 0:19:34Claire's turning to the pawnbrokers.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37What can I do for you today?
0:19:37 > 0:19:41I'd like to see what I can have on these.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45With the taxi outside, she needs enough to cover the sim and the fare.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48How much do you want on them?
0:19:48 > 0:19:5150, please.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55I had them for my birthday in January. Oh, God have mercy.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58They were given to me by my boyfriend. He'll understand.
0:19:58 > 0:20:00He knows that I've done it for a good reason.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04I've weighed it up and it only comes to about £35.
0:20:04 > 0:20:08- Make it 40, please. Please. - OK, I'll do 40 for you.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11Yeah, cos I've got a cab outside as well.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13- I'll do the 40 for you but I can't do 50.- OK, all right. Thank you.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16I just need to take a picture of you, darling.
0:20:16 > 0:20:18If you could just stand there for me.
0:20:18 > 0:20:20Lovely smile.
0:20:20 > 0:20:24Oh, well, love, I've only got a few teeth left!
0:20:24 > 0:20:27That's it done. £40. Do you want to pawn them or sell them?
0:20:27 > 0:20:31No, pawn them! You're crazy! Oh!
0:20:31 > 0:20:33Oh, no! Ooh!
0:20:33 > 0:20:35So you'll definitely be coming back, then?
0:20:35 > 0:20:38Oh, gosh, yes. Oh, gosh, yes.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44- 20, 40.- Have you got two tens I could have, please?
0:20:44 > 0:20:46Yeah, course. I'll just go and get them.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49- Cos the taxi man probably don't have any change.- There you go.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52- Thank you very much.- All right?
0:20:52 > 0:20:55- OK.- You look after yourself and I'll see you soon.- I will.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58'You do get people coming in saying they've got medical ailments,'
0:20:58 > 0:21:01and they need money to get to a hospital appointment,
0:21:01 > 0:21:04the bus fare, and stuff like that, quite a lot, actually.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08- All right, have a nice day, my darling.- See you, take care.- OK.
0:21:09 > 0:21:14'She needed the money to get the taxi to go to get the sim'
0:21:14 > 0:21:16and then a taxi back home,
0:21:16 > 0:21:21so £40 would be gone, wouldn't it, by the time you've done all that?
0:21:27 > 0:21:30I've had my phone so long and I love it.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32I don't care how it looks, my phone.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35I don't want any digital one.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38I don't want no blue, YouTube, BlackBerry.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42I don't want any one of them. I'm happy with my mobile.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46With the economic climate the way it is, people are pawning
0:21:46 > 0:21:49just to get ten pound to get themselves some bread and milk,
0:21:49 > 0:21:50it's the way it is.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57These days, people will pawn anything.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59We get unusual bits brought in.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01You get silly things brought in sometimes.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04I mean, we've had bed pans, brass bed pans, and stuff like that.
0:22:04 > 0:22:09We've pawned cars. We took a clock in a time ago and some samurai swords.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11Did have a chap bring a shotgun in once.
0:22:11 > 0:22:13Got a bit nervous about that.
0:22:13 > 0:22:17I had a lady a time ago standing here, I was serving her,
0:22:17 > 0:22:19and I said, "Are you all right?"
0:22:19 > 0:22:22She went, "Not really. I'm expecting." I said, "When's it due?"
0:22:22 > 0:22:25She went, "Well, now. My waters have gone.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28"I'm going down to the hospital but I didn't have any money."
0:22:28 > 0:22:30I thought, "We'll have a go at most things,
0:22:30 > 0:22:33"but childbirth's not one of them," you know!
0:22:33 > 0:22:37But not everyone comes back for their goods.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39And Gez has come across one item
0:22:39 > 0:22:42that's lain unclaimed for more than 20 years.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46I like to pull this out when Sam's having a bit of a moan.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48VIOLIN SCREECHES
0:22:53 > 0:22:54Maybe not.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58They only lent a few quid against the violin,
0:22:58 > 0:23:01but Gez thinks this fiddle could be worth a fortune.
0:23:01 > 0:23:06There is a sticker on the inside. I think it's Stradivaria.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08I've done a bit of research on the internet
0:23:08 > 0:23:13and if it is one of the 615 of these violins left,
0:23:13 > 0:23:15it could be worth a fortune, if it's real.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18Then it's like we've just won the lottery. And it's been sitting back...
0:23:18 > 0:23:21A bit like a proper Only Fools And Horses moment,
0:23:21 > 0:23:22that old watch sitting in the garage.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25This has been sitting here for that long. You never know.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32While Gez could be sitting on millions...
0:23:32 > 0:23:33Hiya.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35..Michael's hoping to make a pretty penny
0:23:35 > 0:23:38from something rather peculiar.
0:23:38 > 0:23:39I've got a tooth to sell.
0:23:39 > 0:23:41My son gave me a toffee to chew and it came off.
0:23:41 > 0:23:46I went to the dentist and they said it just can't go back in.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50So could you see what you can do? It's 18 carat?
0:23:50 > 0:23:52Just have a little look.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54It weighs not even a gram
0:23:54 > 0:23:59and also it's mixed with other things, you see.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01It's not full 18 carat.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04- OK.- Sorry about that.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08Actually, I was wondering if I could get the bus fare back now,
0:24:08 > 0:24:10because it's not my teeth hurting, it's my leg,
0:24:10 > 0:24:12because I'm on a walking stick, you see.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14So how much do you need for the bus fare?
0:24:14 > 0:24:17About £2 to £3.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19I could give you £2.
0:24:19 > 0:24:23That's coming out of my own pocket, that is, to help you.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26Now, that's... Oh, come on, that's really great.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31Thanks very much. That's a pleasant thing for you to do.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34- Get home safely. - Yeah, I will, I will.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37That is one of the weirdest things I've ever had in.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40From my experience of working here the last six years,
0:24:40 > 0:24:43I have not had somebody come in with a gold tooth.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46I've still got the tooth and I've got £2 on top of it,
0:24:46 > 0:24:49so I don't feel hard done by.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00- I'm Gez. Pleased to meet you. - I'm Francois. You spoke to me.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03I spoke to you both, yeah. So, guys, in a nutshell,
0:25:03 > 0:25:06I've got this violin that's been sitting in the back of my shop
0:25:06 > 0:25:08for about 20 years now.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11It's got a sticker inside.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14Yeah, a label, like a Stradivarius or something.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18Stradivarius is one of the greatest violin makers.
0:25:18 > 0:25:23He perfected the outline, the arching and the shaping of the violin,
0:25:23 > 0:25:26so they're a good model, a good sounding model.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29It's missing... or it's not standing.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32So is Gez sitting on a fortune?
0:25:34 > 0:25:37You have an instrument that was made in Czechoslovakia...
0:25:39 > 0:25:41..back in the 1950s.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44And it is....
0:25:48 > 0:25:52It's an imitation or replica of a Stradivari.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55These things don't have great value.
0:25:55 > 0:26:01We reckon between £150 and £200.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03Could have been one of those lottery items.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06It could have been my retirement ticket, that could have been.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10How much do I need to spend on it to be able to make some money on it,
0:26:10 > 0:26:12or is it just not worth doing?
0:26:12 > 0:26:15Probably the best part of £150 to £200.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19It's rather borderline whether it's going to earn you any money.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21What were the chances of this being an original?
0:26:21 > 0:26:23Less than one in a million, really.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27- All Stradivari's work is pretty well accounted for.- Yes.
0:26:27 > 0:26:29No chance.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32Oh, well, better luck next time, then.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34'That went... It was OK.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37'No, it was terrible.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39'You've always got that little glimmer of hope
0:26:39 > 0:26:43'that it could be the million pound item.'
0:26:43 > 0:26:46There you go. It's a shame, but there you go.
0:26:46 > 0:26:47We'll try to get another one.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50If anyone's got a Strad, bring it in there.
0:26:55 > 0:26:5930 years ago, pawnbrokers were on the verge of extinction.
0:26:59 > 0:27:00Got about 120 there.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03Oh, my god, mate! Really?
0:27:03 > 0:27:07But today there are more than 1,500 and the numbers are growing.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09I want to keep rubbing that in my hand.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12Take it out your pocket first or you'll be in trouble!
0:27:12 > 0:27:14There you go.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17I kept the other ones out the back for later.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21Oh, mate, I could come round and give you a hug.
0:27:26 > 0:27:27For millions of us,
0:27:27 > 0:27:31pledging our possessions has become an everyday necessity...
0:27:31 > 0:27:34Could use that as an anchor chain for the Titanic.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37And that's instant cash anywhere in the world.
0:27:37 > 0:27:40..be it for life-changing amounts of money...
0:27:40 > 0:27:45- Can lend you the 35,000.- This, on the day, saves 30 jobs and a business.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48Without the pawn shop, this shop would have never been possible.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50That's my first customer.
0:27:50 > 0:27:55But you know what, the worst thing about this? He's asking for change.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58..or just to cover the basics.
0:27:58 > 0:28:00Bills come along and you find yourself broke
0:28:00 > 0:28:02and your only other option is to pawn your stuff.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05When in comes to needing fast cash,
0:28:05 > 0:28:07you might just find yourself at the counter.
0:28:07 > 0:28:09I understand why they're there.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12Yeah, it's to keep us from attacking the customers.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16Like going down the casino, innit?
0:28:16 > 0:28:19I got 120 quid!
0:28:19 > 0:28:21What a nice lady.
0:28:44 > 0:28:47Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd