VINTAGE toy specialist Retro Ronnie, which organises the regular Cirencester and Didcot toy and train fairs, has taken over the running of another event.
The firm, made up of Tim Pearson and Ronnie Davies, will now look after the Bristol Toy & Train Collectors Fair, which had been run by Stuart Vowles of Bulldog Fairs.
The Bristol event was founded in 1975 and is one of the longestrunning toy collectors’ fairs.
For many years the 100-150 exhibitor event was staged in Bristol’s historic engine sheds at Temple Meads Station, but relocated three years ago to the Abbeywood Community School, near Bristol’s Parkway Station.
The first Retro Ronnie fair under the new banner is on Sunday, February 5, with two further dates in 2017. Davies said: “We see this as an exciting opportunity to expand into the West Country.
“Bristol represents a large customer base of vintage toy collectors and the fair has an impressive footfall. It has great potential, and there is an opportunity for us to develop a fresh look.
“We plan on broadening the fair’s appeal with Edwardian and Victorian collectables including traditional tinplate, as well as highlighting some of the more modern collecting fields, such as Action Man figures, diecast and toys from the ’70s and ’80s.
Davies added: “We have known Stuart for many years and are very appreciative of everything he has done to establish the fair.”
Bulldog Fairs runs toy fairs at venues such as Bath & West of England Showground at Shepton Mallet and the Westpoint Arena in Exeter, with the next at the showground on Sunday, January 29.
