Issue №001May 2026

The UK Restoration Index.

A monthly account of what Britain saved, what it sold, and what it should have left on the shelf. Sourced from real finds, real quotes, real outcomes.

Finds reviewed
15
Combined uplift
£2,017
Avg value multiple
4×
Public votes cast
27,294
№ 01

The Top 10

Biggest £→£ saves this month

  1. 1
    Man Utd 99 treble shirt
    Man Utd 99 treble shirt
    Shirts · Salford · Nan's wardrobe
    +£305
    £75 → £380
  2. 2
    Seiko 5 (1978)
    Seiko 5 (1978)
    Watches · Grandad's wrist for 40 years
    +£245
    £75 → £320
  3. 3
    Sergio Tacchini 'Dallas' track top
    Sergio Tacchini 'Dallas' track top
    Tennis · Edinburgh · gran's loft
    +£232
    £28 → £260
  4. 4
    Olympus Mju II point & shoot
    Olympus Mju II point & shoot
    Tech · EBay £35 · grandad's holiday cam
    +£230
    £50 → £280
  5. 5
    Dunlop Maxply Fort
    Dunlop Maxply Fort
    Tennis · Bath · charity shop · £6
    +£182
    £38 → £220
  6. 6
    iPod Classic 5th gen
    iPod Classic 5th gen
    Tech · Loft · still has Arctic Monkeys on it
    +£165
    £55 → £220
  7. 7
    Liverpool 95/96 Reebok
    Liverpool 95/96 Reebok
    Shirts · Wirral · grandad's, with the autograph
    +£160
    £60 → £220
  8. 8
    Air Jordan 1 Mid
    Air Jordan 1 Mid
    Trainers · Chester · my dad's pair from '14
    +£135
    £45 → £180
  9. 9
    Nike Air Max 95 OG
    Nike Air Max 95 OG
    Trainers · Wrexham · car boot tenner
    +£105
    £40 → £145
  10. 10
    Game Boy Color (atomic purple)
    Game Boy Color (atomic purple)
    Tech · Bristol · charity shop £4
    +£90
    £40 → £130
№ 02

By category

Average uplift per find, ranked

Shirts leads at £233 average uplift across 2 finds.

№ 03

Restorer of the month

The work behind the numbers

Wrexham Trainer Revival
Wales · LL13

Wrexham Trainer Revival

Steve's little shop on Lord Street. The trainers fit for the bin go in — heritage comes out.

from £2514-day turnaround@wrexhamtrainerrevival
№ 04

Quote of the month

"We restored twelve 1995 Liverpool away kits this month. The market doesn't need an AI to value them — it needs someone with a steady hand and the right thread."

— Wrexham Trainer Revival, Wrexham

Methodology

Figures aggregated from finds submitted to Revival Index in May 2026, cross-referenced with completed restorer quotes and recent comparable UK sales (eBay, Depop, Vinted, Grailed). Uplift = restored sale value minus restoration cost. We exclude finds where no UK sale comparable existed in the prior 90 days.