A record number of people are buying items to borrow money from Britain's largest pawnbroker because of the cost of living crisis.
In a trading update released on Monday, H&T Group said pledge lending secured against a customer's valuable items such as watches or jewellery was at record levels.
Consumer prices index inflation hit 9.1% in May, the highest level since February 1982, on the back of wide-ranging price rises caused by disruption from the coronaviruses and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Borrowing from H&T has exceeded the pre-pandemic high with no relaxation of lending criteria.
Gary Greenwood, a Shore Capital analyst, said that this strong demand reflects the impact of the cost of living crisis and the withdrawal of competition from the unsecured high-cost credit space.
Economists expect household finances to be hit further in the autumn, when the UK's energy price cap will soar to reflect higher prices on global wholesale markets.
H&T's pledge book was worth 84 million at the end of June, up by 74% on the 48 m a year earlier and an increase of almost 20 m since the end of December when it stood at 67 m. The company said there was growth across the group's customer base and in all geographies. H&T, which was founded in London in 1897 by Messrs Harvey and Thompson in 1897, has 256 stores and more than 1,400 workers. It also offers travel money, cheque cashing and gold purchase. Demand for gold has been buoyant because of rising prices and the return of international travel after the Pandemic restrictions, which has resulted in a strong recovery for foreign exchange.
Chris Gillespie, H&T's chief executive, said: "I am delighted with the progress we have made in the first half of 2022, and the momentum with which we enter the second half of the year.