A view of Sunbury Antiques Market at Kempton Park Racecourse in Surrey.
So says Edward Cruttenden, whose mother Sue launched the Sunbury Antiques Market at Kempton Park Racecourse, Surrey, on a wing and a prayer and £100 back in 1979. The event remains family run.
Edward who now organises the market with his wife Jenny, adds: “Like most of us it’s been a tough year for business and our fairs have reflected this but as ever the antiques trade is resilient, has adapted and carried on.
“Thankfully our stallholder numbers have been pretty consistent over the past year with new faces arriving and old friends returning.”
There can hardly be a dealer or decorator in the land and quite a few celebrities who have not paid at least one visit to the famous ‘go-to’ fortnightly Tuesday indoor/outdoor market which attracts around 500- 600 stallholders for each event with an average of 3500 people flowing through.
Sandown growth
He also launched a Sunday antiques market at Sandown Park Racecourse, also Surrey, in 2017, which has now really kicked on.
“We were really moving before the pandemic and then the handbrake came on,” adds Edward.
“This year we’ve seen the footfall increase to 2000 buyers throughout the day and stallholder numbers are up to 260 including 20 indoor furniture pitches, with our November 19 market an absolute sellout.”
Held four times a year the next Sandown Park event is on Sunday, February 19, while the Christmas antiques market at Kempton Park runs on Tuesday, December 12, when shopping trolleys are likely to be laden.
