Honesty Boxes on the Isles of Scilly: What They Are and Where to Find Them
What is an honesty box, and do honesty boxes work? Our guide explains how Scilly’s unstaffed stalls work, where to find the best ones on each island, and how to pay the honest way.
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Walk any lane on the Isles of Scilly and you will soon spot a small wooden stall by a gate. It might hold eggs, fudge, flowers or a jar of jam. There is nobody serving. You take what you want and leave the money in a box. That is an honesty box.
This guide explains what an honesty box is, whether honesty boxes work, and where to find the best honesty stalls on each island. It is aimed at first time visitors, but regulars may find a new favourite too. Pack some coins, bring a bag and enjoy one of the nicest parts of island life.
Key Takeaways
- An honesty box is an unstaffed stall. You choose your goods and pay into a box or card reader.
- Bryher and St Martin's have the most stalls, selling fudge, bakes, veg, flowers and local crafts.
- Stalls sell seasonal produce like eggs, asparagus, tomatoes and flowers, plus tatty cake and crafts. Many open April to October.
- Do honesty boxes work? Mostly, yes. Research shows people pay more when they feel part of a watchful community.
- Carry coins and a card, take a bag and always pay the marked price.
What Is an Honesty Box?
An honesty box is a simple way to sell goods with no shop and no staff. The seller sets out items with clear prices. Buyers pick what they want and pay into a locked box. Wikipedia notes it is also called an honour box, and it is used at campsites and parks too.
The whole system runs on trust. The seller trusts you to pay the right amount. You trust that the eggs are fresh and the fudge is homemade. On Shetland, where honesty boxes are also part of daily life, Promote Shetland says they began as a way for locals to share spare eggs.
Honest Pay: Cash, Card or Contactless
Many stalls on Scilly still take cash, so a pocket of coins and small notes is useful. More stalls now take cards as well.
If you see a card reader fixed to the stall, tap and go. If not, use the box.
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Honesty stalls are spread across the islands, but some islands have far more than others. Visit Isles of Scilly says honesty stalls and small shops are how the off islands sell local produce. Bryher and St Martin's are the busiest for stalls. St Mary's and St Agnes have a handful each.
Here is a quick guide to some of the stalls worth looking out for.
| Island | Stall | What it sells | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bryher | Veronica Farm Fudge | Handmade fudge | April to October |
| Bryher | Bryher Bake Box | Bread, cakes and pastries | Daily, April to October |
| Bryher | Hillside Farm Produce | Fruit, veg, eggs and flowers | April to October |
| Bryher | Dawnvue Fresh Produce | Veg, eggs, flowers, plants and jam | April to October |
| Bryher | Scilly Succulents | Succulents, small plants and pots | Daily |
| Bryher | Sea Dots | Hand painted stones and gifts | April to October |
| St Martin's | Middletown Barn | Crafts by local makers | Check locally |
| St Martin's | Roadside stalls | Crafts, veg, flowers and preserves | Seasonal |
| St Mary's | Nicola's flower stall | Posies and bunches of flowers | Seasonal |
| St Agnes | Roadside stalls | Flowers, produce and beach find jewellery | Seasonal |
Bryher
Bryher is the honesty stall capital of Scilly. The Bryher community website lists more than half a dozen, mostly open from April to October. Veronica Farm Fudge is the famous one, with handmade fudge in lots of flavours. Bryher Bake Box sells fresh bread, cakes and pastries, and what is on offer changes daily.
For fresh food, Hillside Farm Produce and Dawnvue Fresh Produce sell vegetables, eggs and flowers from their own farms. Dawnvue adds plants and jam. For gifts, try Scilly Succulents for small plants and pots, or Sea Dots for hand painted stones. Children love Sea Dots, so it is worth the walk with a family.
Planning a day there? Start with our Bryher island guide.
St Martin's
St Martin's has stalls dotted along the island road. The Love Travelling Blog found crafts, vegetables, flowers and homemade preserves on sale. The island's own St Martin's Directory lists Middletown Barn as an honesty shop filled with items by local makers, between Highertown and Lowertown.
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St Mary's
St Mary's has the most shops, so honesty stalls are fewer and easy to miss. Look out for them on the quieter lanes outside Hugh Town. One grower, Nicola Farrow, tells Flowers from the Farm she runs a small honesty stall on St Mary's selling posies and bunches of home grown flowers.
St Agnes
St Agnes is small and quiet, but it has its own stalls. A visitor writing on Blipfoto found flowers, fruit and vegetables, plus jewellery made from beach finds. Stalls come and go on the smaller islands, so treat any list as a starting point. Half the fun is spotting a new one on your walk.
What You Can Buy at Scilly Honesty Stalls
What you find depends on the season, so every visit is a little different. That is part of the fun. Stock is small and can sell out fast, especially in summer, so it pays to stop when you see something you like. Here is what to look out for through the year.
Seasonal Produce
- Eggs: laid on the islands and on sale for much of the year.
- Asparagus and new potatoes: look out for them in spring.
- Tomatoes and courgettes: the summer favourites.
- Flowers: scented narcissi in winter and spring, then summer bunches and posies.
Island grown veg is about as fresh as it gets. Pick some up for a self catering supper.
Home Made Treats and Crafts
Look out for Scilly tatty cake, a traditional sweet cake made with potato. You will also find fudge, jams and fresh bakes. Some of the best stalls are run by local children, selling home made shell baskets and painted pebbles. They make lovely, cheap souvenirs, and the young sellers are always thrilled you stopped.
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Not every stall has a card reader. A few pounds in coins and small notes means you will never have to walk past a bargain. Children's stalls usually take cash only, so keep some change handy for those. It is the easiest way to support island growers and makers.
Do Honesty Boxes Work?
Mostly, yes. A well known study at Newcastle University tested an honesty box for tea and coffee in a staff room. Lead researcher Dr Melissa Bateson found people paid 2.76 times as much when a poster of eyes hung above the box, rather than a poster of flowers, as reported by ScienceDaily.
The lesson is simple. People pay more when they feel seen and part of a community. That suits Scilly well. The islands are small, sellers often live a few steps away and many visitors return year after year. Promote Shetland makes the same point: stalls within sight of the owner see less petty theft.
When Honesty Boxes Go Wrong
Honesty boxes do not always work. On the mainland, thieves have taken whole boxes from farm stalls. The Doncaster Free Press reported a gang loading one into a vehicle at a family dairy farm. A Lancashire farm told the Blackpool Gazette it added CCTV after repeated thefts from its stall.
That is why every coin counts. Most island sellers are small producers. An honesty stall only survives if buyers keep their side of the deal.
Honesty Box Etiquette: How to Pay the Honest Way
A few simple habits keep the stalls going for everyone.
- Carry change. Coins and small notes are useful, as not every stall takes cards.
- Bring a bag. Stalls may not have any spare.
- Pay the marked price. If you are short, come back later and settle up.
- Close lids and doors. It keeps food fresh and birds out.
- Return egg boxes and jars if the stall asks for them.
- Check the season. Many stalls close outside April to October.
Plan an Honesty Stall Walk
An honesty stall trail makes a great day out, especially on Bryher or St Martin's. Pick up bread and fudge for a picnic, then add flowers for your holiday cottage. Use our trip planner to build your day, and check Scilly Live so you do not miss the last boat back.
Fancy a sit down meal after your stall hunt? Browse our Eat and Drink directory for cafes, pubs and restaurants on every island.
Honesty boxes are a small thing, but they say a lot about Scilly. They are built on trust, and they work because visitors and islanders keep that trust going. So pack some change, take your time and enjoy the island way of shopping.
