Lack of money can cause big financial problems for people. While the banks are closing down branches in city centres, we’ve seen a growth of pawnbrokers in the high streets.Paul Atkin, the director of online pawnbroker Borro. Here he explains the history behind this industry.
"Pawnbroking is the oldest form of lending, it’s been around for a few thousand years, its roots are actually in ancient China. Queen Isabella of Spain, for example, pawned all of her jewellery to enable Christopher Columbus to go and discover the new world.Basically someone will come to us with something of value, and they’ll basically use that as security to get a loan, we will do an valuation on the valuable they bring to us and we will lend them anywhere between 50 to 60 percent of the value, and they come back six months later and pay off the loan. "
Paul thinks the rapid growth of pawnbrokers in this country is because more British people are having cash flow problems.
"Most of us have cash flow issues at certain points in the year. Run up to Christmas, going on holiday, lumpy bills to pay. We are as a society in the UK, people who typically spend at least as much as we earn."
Kalina Kamara is a care worker and she tells us why she prefers prawn brokers to banks.
"The bank takes too long. The loan sharks, you always get horrible stories, bullying or whatever. At least when you come here, they’re polite and they’re kind and they give you a choice. I’m a single mum raising four children on my own, it works really well for me. Maybe not for everyone, but my bills get paid and my children get fed. "
pawnbroker:当铺老板
lumpy bill: 很多账单
shark:鲨鱼，诈骗者 |