Drew Pritchard - Man with a Van

Drew Pritchard was born in 1970 in the medieval walled town of Conwy, North Wales. Drew has been dealing in architectural salvage and antiques for 33 years, working initially as a stained-glass restorer and designer, and as an independent dealer for 26 years. His business is driven by passion, an innate knowledge of antiques and a fascination with mixing items from different periods.

Drews hit TV show Salvage Hunters is now in its fourteenth series. He is also a motoring aficionado and is currently restoring his 52 Sunroof Volkswagen Beetle, his beloved 67 911 Porsche and a brace of Vespas.

This book is dedicated to my Grandmother, Winifred Nin Alice Roberts, my mother Joan, Tom, Charlotte and Grace

And to all the teachers who said Id amount to nothing

About a year ago I was asked to write a book about who I am and how I got into the world of antiques, about some of my more memorable experiences and about my TV shows. Ive been doing Salvage Hunters on Quest for the last ten years, and its complemented by another series that shows how we restore the items I buy, as well as a third show about classic cars. Initially I wasnt sure, but in the end my desire to share this incredible business with as many people as possible outweighed any personal reservations.

This a business like no other. No two days are the same; its exciting, diverse and gives an insight into not just when or how items of great beauty or value were made, but the lives of the people who made them. Its about specific artistic movements that echo periods in history when art and design mirrored what was going on in the world of politics, fashion and culture. Thats the fascination, what I call the soul of the trade, and I hope I can pass on some of what Ive learned and something of my passion.

That passion began when I was eight years old in my hometown of Glan Conwy in North Wales, and Im almost 50 now, but nothing has changed. I feel exactly the same as I did when my eyes were first opened to the possibilities offered by old, discarded junk that nobody wanted. I refer to those items as decorative salvage (a phrase I think I coined, though I cant say for certain), and Im on a never-ending search for inventory. This is a business that requires a revolving door when it comes to stock, not just for my Conwy showroom, but for a website with a customer base that spans the globe. The items I find on TV are bought with my own money. Nothing is done for show and if the TV cameras werent rolling there would be no difference in the way I deal with the vendor. Im always on the lookout for innovative stock and much of what we sell goes abroad. If I took my foot off the throttle for just a few days things would quickly go pear-shaped; its a constant challenge to find quality antiques but without them theres no turnover and no profit.

I never buy anything I wouldnt be happy to have in my house and often thats where a piece resides until somebody wants to buy it. All my furniture is for sale, whether its in the shop or at home; just the other day I got back from a trip looking forward to an evening on the sofa with Netflix, only to find there was no sofa.

Hunting down decorative salvage is a way of life I revere, and I encourage as many of you to get involved as possible. Since weve been doing the TV series, Ive come across more and more people dabbling in buying and selling, and thats why I agreed to do the show in the first place. As far as Im concerned, the greater the interest the better the trade will be, and Im forever bumping into people looking for advice. To me its simple: if you have the passion follow it. Dont copy anyone else (least of all me); create your own idea of what you want to achieve and get on with it. Dont be afraid of the setbacks. I spoke to a couple at a fair the other day who were just starting out, and were worried that one week theyd sold stacks of stuff and the next absolutely nothing. Welcome to the antiques business. It takes years to learn and, as youll see, you have to roll with the punches.

By the time 55 alloy storage bins had been loaded into the van we were completely knackered. We werent finished yet, though; before we left the Bradford linen mill, wed added a couple of massive wicker baskets and an industrial trolley. We were satisfied; it had been a really good call (which is how the antiques trade refers to it when were asked to show up and look at potential inventory) in one of those places you rarely see. There arent many linen mills left but this one was thriving with over half a million metres of fabric sold every year, and Id picked up some quality industrial furniture.

Back in the van I checked my phone, while T pulled out alongside a lorry that was hazing us with spray that might as well have come from a hosepipe. My long-term sidekick, Ive known T since I was a boy in North Wales and hes an integral part of the TV show. It had been pissing with rain all week but that was nothing new. After so many years on the road we were used to torrential downpours and the motorway flooding.

Its been a decent day, T, I said.

Vans full. He was concentrating on the traffic. Youll make money on those bins, and I really like that trolley.

It had been the best call wed had in weeks and I was encouraged about another factory visit tomorrow. There wasnt much to do by way of restoration on the stuff wed bought, just a bit of a clean-up really.

An hour later we left the motorway and found the hotel in Higher Bartle, near Preston. A beautiful old place and a far cry from my first few years on the road when a night away meant the back of the van and a burger from a kiosk in the lay-by. I checked in, dumped my bags and took a long, hot shower. After that I went down to have dinner with the rest of the crew. Tomorrow was Dans last shoot as director on the show; he was still producing. The sound man Simon Jolly has been with me from the very first day of shooting, and for a long time its been Sean or Steve wielding the camera.

After grabbing a pint, I sat down to update the website, already thinking about tomorrow. Thats the buzz, the excitement, the sense of anticipation I have before we arrive at any call. Its the same today as it has been for as long as I can remember, an obsession thats shaped my entire life and something I love with a passion.

All this was on my mind because I had this book to write and didnt know where to begin. It was something I discussed with T when he came in from a precarious walk along the road with no pavement and no street lights. Hes a year older than me; were about the same build and cut from the same North Wales granite.

We might need another van for tomorrow, he stated. If so, I can sort it. So, tell me about this book then.

I looked at him over my glasses. Theres not much to tell yet. I really dont know how to get started.

Easy. Piccadilly Woods.

What?

Those old cars hanging in trees, remember? It must be forty years since weve been there.