It was in 2008 when James, a former property developer, saw a gap in the market when he was reading one of the Sunday tabloids on asset lending. He had many friends who although were asset rich they were cash poor. They were driving around in expensive cars and living in mansions, however, they could no longer afford the petrol in their cars or pay their electricity bills. Gone were the days of being able to get a ‘quick’ cash loan from the banks but James thought of a way he could.
James first opened Prestige Pawnbrokers in Weybridge, Surrey and it wasn’t long before customers came in their droves with their high-end assets such as handbags, watches, private jets, yachts, rare works of art, memorabilia through to the weird and wonderful such as Hitler’s arm band, Queen Victoria’s bloomers and rare whale faeces.
Amazed by some of the assets people wanted to pawn and the stories and characters attached made for great TV. James has since opened shops in Richmond, Hatton Garden, Kings Road, Essex, Manchester and is set to open in Brighton and Edinburgh this year.
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