Our intrepid reporter/photographer (shown below) is Troy Maggied. Here's what he writes:
There is absolutely nothing like it in the U.S.A. (as far as I'm aware). Ribble Rec is something of an antique junk yard. Started by the Hindle family 18 years ago, the reclamation yard has blossomed into a company that has clients from the southern coast of England all the way into Scotland. The Hindle family started as a basic landscaping company, but, like many companies of its kind, found that obtaining good quality, unique landscaping materials was not the easiest thing to do. Those materials that they could get their hands on were fairly expensive.
Their operation mainly consists of keeping in contact with local demolition companies in the area and around England. These companies, who by now know the Hindle family well, contact them if they are contracted to demo a building or roadway that they think would be of interest to Ribble Rec. A member of Ribble then goes to the site and, after the demolition is done and the material is on the ground, work with the contractor on negotiating a price that is agreeable to both. Ribble has the material hauled to their yard in Preston and then is marked to a reasonable selling price.
The main material sold at the reclamation center are flags. These are square flagstones, usually made from slate, that are used for walkways or stepping stones and are very popular in the U.K. Ribble Rec gets these both as imports and from demolished roadways, sidewalks, or gardens. The used stones sell for about 30 pounds sterling for a square yard while the new imports go for 20 pounds per square yard. The main reason for this is that most people prefer the used, weathered look over a newer one.
Troy Continues...
Flagstone may be the main item sold, but it certainly isn't the most interesting
one. Other items that can be found in the yard are a huge carved fountain,
the most expensive item at 3500 pounds. There also are the remains of
two-12ft clock towers with 4-ft clocks, more than a dozen antique bathtubs,
over thirty radiators, and hundreds of smaller statues.
The company stays ontop of
the current trends by, among other things, watching some of the dozens
of landscaping programs on the T.V. and occasionally keeping an eye on
new gardening magazines that come out. Despite the size and breadth of
this operation, Ribble Reclamation is still run by the Hindle family with
the help of only one outside employee, anticipating no change in their
successful and still growing company.
