The Civic, as it is known, is to be closed for either renovation or demolition (depending who you talk to), but bits of it, like the balcony, are already out of bounds so with 37 exhibitors the fair is well down on last year’s tally of 47.
And there has been quite a turnover of dealers with no fewer than 10 making their debut, among them M&N Oriental, the Manchester Oriental rugs specialists; Fossack and Furkle from Cambridge with a mix of watches, medical antiques and navigational instruments, and Jeffrey Neal and Lyn Bloom who have been based in the London Silver Vaults for over 50 years.
With the loss of 20 of last year’s names, there is a regrettable absence of some of the Surrey regulars, but one veteran who is soldiering on is Godalming period furniture dealer Roger Heath-Bullock, who owned the fair until few years ago when he sold it to West Country exhibition organisers Trident. At the same time they also bought Buxton from Roger who, I am pleased to say, still has an input into both events.
Trident have been looking for a suitable new venue for some time and I believe they have now found one, although they are not disclosing the location quite yet.
Admission is £5.
So it’s goodbye Guildford, hello…?
ONE of the Home Counties’ longest running vetted, quality events, the Surrey Antiques Fair, will be held for the 36th year from October 2 to 5 and it will be the end of an era as this is the last staging at its original venue, the Guildford Civic Hall.
