General guidelines
Cash only Payments
Please note all BLA events are cash only, there is currently no facility for cashless payments.
Due to the influx of counterfeit currency, £50.00 notes will not be accepted at any BLA event.
Suitable polystyrene box or thermal container
Buyers will NOT be sold livestock unless they have a suitable polystyrene box or thermal container to store their purchases.
Wherever possible the Auction Team will endeavour to have surplus polystyrene boxes for sale before the start of the auction.
Buyers auction guidelines
Bidding Cards
Bidding cards have two good reasons for their use. The first is to help the auctioneer keep track of who is bidding and the second is so we can keep a record of who has bought which fish. The idea behind this is we can keep a list of all the rare species for conservation reasons.
We take a refundable deposit for the use of the bidding cards, this helps us get the cards back gives us chance to record the buyers name.
We ask that you have individual cards and don’t share, with the exception of family members / partners etc. as this defeats the purpose of the bidding card.
NOTE: missing Bidding Cards are an ongoing problem, please return them undamaged.
Auction method
The preferred BLA auction method is to use display stands for the buyers to view the fish prior to being auctioned. In certain circumstances the committee reserve the right to change the auction method to selling from boxes should the need arise.
Viewing the Auction Lots and auctioning the lots
Please note that only the auction team are allowed around the display stand apart from designated viewing times.
The Auctioneer will inform the potential buyers when they can approach the viewing stand and how much time is available to view the fish on display.
When it is time to start the auction, the auctioneer will then announce that the auction will begin in 5 minutes and all buyers must then return to their seats. Please vacate the viewing area when asked to avoid delays in restarting the auction.
To avoid causing any undue stress for the fish on display, please do not handle the bags more than is absolutely necessary.
Auction Bidding
The Auctioneer has the discretion to start the bidding at a value they deem appropriate for that particular lot.
Where an auction lot has a reserve price stipulated, the auctioneer will start at that price and cannot drop below that unless instructed by the seller.
The bidding will increase in increments of £1.00 (unless the Auctioneer decides a higher increment is more appropriate) until a winning bid is reached.
Once a winning bid has been reached, the runner will take the auction lot to the winning bidder and receive payment.
Complaints about the lots
The Auction Team will try to ensure all lots are accurate to their description and are in good condition when sold. If the Buyer has a complaint or query about a lot, the complaint must be registered with a Committee Member immediately.
Once a lot has left the auction room, it is unlikely any problems can be rectified.
Boxing your fish ready for transport
As each won lot is received by the buyer, care must be taken by the buyer to pack their purchases carefully and securely into their polystyrene boxes or thermal containers to prevent their purchases rolling around during transport, this could cause unnecessary stress and fatalities.
All Polystyrene boxes and/or thermal containers should be securely placed within the vehicle ready for transport, some care at this stage will prevent any boxes and bags being dislodged during transport.
Buyers sales table guidelines
Complaints about the Sales table items
All sales table (non-livestock & livestock) items are bought as seen, no refunds will be available through the BLA. The sales table is a platform for the seller to offer their goods and the BLA are agents only.
Please note: Any recourse MUST be made DIRECTLY WITH THE SELLER, NOT the BLA.
Agreement to these guidelines
Agreement
Agreement to these guidelines, and terms & conditions, are accepted when the buyer gains admission to the event.