Fair organisers DMG Antique Fairs have sent a letter to the offending dealers stating that if they continue to leave early their units will be “reallocated to one of the people that we have on our waiting list”.
The issue has concerned DMG for some time, with early leavers reducing the choice of antiques and collectables available to visitors on the second day. It was the subject of stallholder breakfast meetings held during 2002 at Newark and in February the organisers started to survey certain prominent areas of the fair to see which stallholders stayed to the end and which left early. Areas that were targeted covered the shopping arcades between Red and Yellow Gates, prime units for arriving customers. The April fair will see an extension of this survey to cover prime pitch areas.
“We are very disappointed that we have had to take this stance but we feel that it is in the best interests of the stallholders who stay for both days at the fair, for buyers who spend their money travelling, and to the fair as a whole,” said senior fairs manager Alan Yourston.
Newark clamps down on early leavers
The organisers of the Newark fair have taken a tough stance on stallholders who leave their two-day event early. The clampdown comes after complaints from both stallholders and visitors who object to dealers leaving the fair before the official closing time of 4pm on Tuesday.
