Luton Borough Council

21/06/2023 - Pop-up Reuse Shop coming to Eaton Green Tidy Tip

The reuse revolution is coming to one of Luton Council’s Tidy Tips next month, allowing residents to pick up a variety of preloved bargains at a fraction of the cost of buying new.

FCC Environment, in partnership with Luton Council, will be hosting Luton’s first pop-up reuse shop at Eaton Green Tidy Tip on 1 July between 10am-3pm. There will be a large selection of good quality preowned items on offer, such as homeware, toys, DVDs and games. All the items for sale have been donated for reuse at one of Luton’s two recycling centres. The proceeds raised from the pop-up shop will help support local charities in Luton.

It is easy to donate good quality, preowned items at the recycling centres. Just tell the site operatives what you have to donate and they will put it into the reuse container for you. By passing on your items, you are not only helping local charities but also the environment, by preventing the carbon emissions associated with manufacturing new products.

Cllr Tom Shaw, portfolio holder for Housing, Waste and Climate Change, said “Recycling is more than just putting items in the right bin – it is about considering whether someone else will find a use from an item we would like to discard. That is why I encourage everyone to visit the pop-up reuse shop on 1 July, whether that is to donate or pick up a bargain.”

Gemma Green, FCC Environment’s Reuse Development Manager commented, “Thank you to all the residents who have donated items and the fantastic teams on site who have been working hard for months to source the best items for the pop-up shop. It is sure to be a fun day with lots of good quality bargains up for grabs!”

The pop-up shop joins another recycling scheme in Luton involving bikes that are donated at the town’s recycling centres. These are then given to Luton Council’s bike recycling scheme and the Luton Sue Ryder bike workshop. Suitable bikes are then restored to a roadworthy condition, ready for use again. The bikes are available for residents to buy at the Sue Ryder Shop.

Sue Ryder’s Product Manager Wendy Wickens commented, “At Sue Ryder, we are proud to share a focus on environmental and social responsibility issues. The bikes we sell at Sue Ryder are always popular and receiving bicycles that we can renovate or upcycle means that we can generate great value for money bicycles and reduce waste. The funds raised enable us to provide palliative, neurological, and bereavement support to patients and their families.”

Please note that there is no pedestrian access to the pop-up shop.

The Eaton Green Tidy Tip can be found at Eaton Green Road, Wigmore, Luton, LU2 9RT. Luton's Sue Ryder shop is located on 199 - 203 Marsh Rd, Leagrave, Luton LU3 2QQ.