ok.. i've had a bit of a look around and apparently one of the main things is that there appear to be EU rules about the safety in scrap yards, mostly about people clambering over things and injurying themselves... it might depend on how your local took the deal, or how business has been lately?
i remember one here where us local kids would go in at night for bits, some would get as many car speakers as poss to build themselves huge speakers for home. these days that place is filled with just scrap metal and cubed cars, and doesnt appear to deal in the scrap car bits side of things anymore.. if they get anything they cube it and flog it for the metal.
there certainly seem to be a lot less scrappies round here than there used to be.
