IN its ‘day job’, the Skipton Auction Mart in the North Yorkshire market town is a cattle market.
But the pens are ideal for art fairs too, and indeed any sort of fair or market, hence the annual Art in Pen Fair is held at the venue.
So, Helen Bowmanand Ben Wrayof Bowman Antique Fairsare very excited about their new biannual venture, The Yorkshire Flea, which launches at the mart on Sunday, April 2.
Bowman Antique Fairs has run the three-day Bingley Hall antiques fairs at the Stafford County Showground since 1978 and, from 2009, the twoday Yorkshire Antiques and Art Fairat The Great Yorkshire Showground.
Enthusing about the fleamarket, a completely new departure for the organisers, Wray says: “Looking at how successful the large fleamarkets are, in particular B2B’s flea at the Malvern Showground, and that there isn’t anything like this in North Yorkshire, we have been looking around for some time for a venue in this part of the county and the Skipton Auction Mart is ideal.
“It’s absolutely right in terms of location, being at the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, and 21 miles from Harrogate and 27 miles from Leeds.’’
About 300 exhibitors can be accommodated in the pens. Removing the pen doors yield a three-sided unit ideal for exhibiting.
Wray adds that there has been plenty of interest from their existing stallholders and potential new ones. Contact him for more details on ben@antiquesfairs.com or call 01274 588505.
The next antiques fair for Bowman Antiques Fairs is at the Stafford Bingley Hall from Friday to Sunday, February 3-5.
