The auction scene

It seems that the latest fad (or "business opportunity"?) is for the mobile coffee van to be vending its wares to the crowd attending the Saturday morning auction.   When I saw this, I rather hoped that it had been arranged by the auctioneer to get the crowd in a good mood, but, no, payment was required.    But the property was passed in, with just a single bid being made (in addition to the vendor bids).   Would it have been different had the coffee been "on the house"?   (Pity about the pun).

EDIT - I've since been told that some agents do in fact arrange for the coffee to be provided free of cost (free to the crowd - the agent or no doubt ultimately the property owner pays).   Note to self - choose auctions more carefully.

However, later in the day (some time after the van, and the crowd, had departed!), a "sold" sign appeared.