Shelter has a record week in Stockbridge

A homelessness charity shop in Edinburgh has hailed shoppers who helped raise nearly £35,000 in just a week.

The Shelter shop in Edinburgh’s Stockbridge took a record £34,886 in its January sale of designer brands and rare collectibles.

The shop has become famous for its annual seven-day sale, which has run since 2003.

The 23rd annual sale featured rare and collectable items donated by the public in recent months and stashed away, from designer labels including Armani, Gucci and Jimmy Choo to rare books, vintage jewellery, classic toys, vinyl records and ornaments.

The total beat the previous record of £31,834 set in 2025 by over £3000.

The sale raised £14,020 on the opening day alone after more than 75 people queued at the door for upto three hours to browse the shelves.

Shelter Scotland Director Alison Watson said: “Scotland’s housing emergency now means there are more than 10,180 children in Scotland with nowhere to call home and without urgent long-term action, homelessness will rise.

“Your support keeps us in the fight against homelessness, so I’d like to thank all our customers and donors for their generosity and for another record-breaking year.”

The remarkable total included £9373 on ladies fashions, £3800 on men’s designer labels, £5468 on rare books and £3492 on vinyl records.

Bargain hunters also spent £1800 on toys and games and £8900 on “bric a brac” such as decorative items and pictures.

The most expensive item sold was a rare complete 48 volume set of Sir Walter Scott’s Waverley novels dating from 1829-1833 and priced at £600.

The biggest single transaction was £1000 for a pile of books including rare illustrated copies of Jane Austen’s Emma and Sense and Sensibility at £300 each.

Vinyl included a rare 1968 mint condition Electric Ladyland by The Jimi Hendrix Experience and a Jesus and Mary Chain John Peel Sessions record, each snapped up for £100.

Shop manager Pete Jew, who has organised the January sale since 2003, said: “This year’s sale has been a huge success, well up on last year, so we’re delighted.

“It just keeps getting bigger and bigger. I call it a celebration of donations and it’s only possible because of the generosity of our customers and supporters.

“We’re incredibly grateful. Every single item was donated over our front door, so we have the local community to thank.”