With sunshine and summer holidays in mind, we take a look at some of the delights of the UK’s fairs and markets scene in July and August.
South and London
Late 1990s photo of a crowded Sunbury Antiques Market.
Celebrating more than 40 years in the saddle at Kempton Park Racecourse is Sunbury Antiques Market.
In response to requests down the years to hold a Sunday market at the course as well as the regular Tuesday markets, it is planning to dip a toe in the water outdoors at Kempton on Sunday, July 3.
The colonnaded Georgian Pantiles in Tunbridge Wells is the setting for Love Fairs’ launch of an annual antiques festival on Saturday and Sunday, July 23-24. Organiser Donny Mann said: “The antiques festival is aimed at retail and trade visitors with even more antiques to be found in The Pantiles Arcade including Eric Knowles’ shop.”
After months of searching, the organisers of Flea London have found a new spot close to its current site in Vinegar Yard by London Bridge Station. Vinegar Yard Bankside is along the busy Thames pedestrian footpath between Southwark Bridge and Borough Market and the five-day indoor/outdoor vintage market reopens in its new location on Wednesday, August 3.
East Anglia
Bayfield Hall Antiques Fair, north Norfolk, pictured last year.
Rugs and kilims dealer Malcolm Cannell is setting out his summer antiques fair on Sunday, July 3, around Bayfield Hall Antiques located at 18th century Bayfield Hall, near Holt in north Norfolk. Dealers from the centre plus another 50 will “be bringing goods to tempt anyone into a purchase to enhance their lives,” said the ever ebullient Cannell. Contact cannellantiques@gmail.com
Gary Sheridan of GNB Fairs is launching a new monthly 40-dealer antiques and vintage fair in the riverside market town of Woodbridge near Ipswich, Suffolk. It kicks off on Sunday, July 10, in the town’s community hall.
Up on the east coast is Southwold, one of the region’s most visited and prettiest towns. For the past 23 years The Fair on the Green has been held on the first Sunday in August – August 7 this year, with 100 stallholders.
Contact 07947 569526.
Midlands
It’s the big one… IACF Newark is at the Newark and Nottinghamshire Showground on Thursday and Friday, August 11-12, for its sole fair this month, the midweek, midsummer international antiques and collectors’ fair, “full of the best antiques dealers around”.
Hip bath at a Swallow Fairs event held at the Cheshre showground.
Swallow Fairs is down on the farm at Knutsford this summer: at the Cheshire Showground at Clay House Farm near Tabley with the very popular drive-in antiques and salvage market on Saturday, August 13. On offer is a huge range of affordable goods at this props buyers’ go-to event.
Yorkshire & North-east
The Rustic and Country Lifestyle Fair takes place at Bishops Manor at High Bridge, Howden, east Yorkshire on Saturday, July 9, run by Little English House Vintage Fairs. It offers what it says on the tin: rustic French interiors, decorative antiques for the home and garden and textiles finds.
Lotherton Hall is an Edwardian country house near Leeds where Caroline Brown of Rose and Brown hosts a vintage weekend on Saturday and Sunday, August 12-13.
Four antiquarian and second-hand book fairs are held every year at Tynemouth Station in its unique railway platform setting, “indoor, yet outdoor,” say organisers Alan and Kris McFarlane. Sunday, August 21, is the next date.
tynemouthstationbookfair.co.uk
South-west and Wales
The Malvern Flea and Collectors’ Fair is one of the most popular events in the fairs calendar. Held nine times a year at the Three Counties Showground, the next is on Sunday, July 24. Hundreds of tempting stalls offer “furniture to house clearance to collectables and everything in between”.
Sunday, August 7, is the date for the Carmarthen Antique and Fleamarket at the United Counties Showground when hundreds of stallholders welcome hundreds of visitors. Welsh items including art and textiles can often be found. It is now hosted by the showground under the banner Flea for All.
unitedcounties.org/flea-market
Scotland
The largest fleamarket in the Scottish Borders is at the BUAS Showground in Kelso with 120 tables at the exhibition centre. Organised by the local Blacks Saleroom, the next market is on Saturday and Sunday, August 13-14.
Contact 07760 660556.
