David Fletcher of CollectFair has created the detailed online street map using the Google Maps system, and it is easy to use, but best of all: it’s free.
Interested parties can either add their own ‘marker pin’ to the map after registering their email, or they can ask CollectFair to place the marker pin for them. All of the pins are colour-coded according to the nature of the business (shop, auctioneer, dealer, etc), and each has an attached ‘information bubble’ that allows space for an exact street address, brief description and a link to the company’s website.
Once a business is registered, it can create a link to the map that shows its location already zoomed in, which can then be posted on their website with a logo saying: “We’re on the map!”
The map currently lists about 130 locations across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and it has the potential to extend to all of the countries covered by Google, which is already being used as three locations in New Zealand recently joined.
To search the map, users can zoom in using a postcode or can drag the map to the location in which they’re interested. In the future, Mr Fletcher hopes to expand the search facilities to allow people to search by business names and dates of events.
“It’s very early days, but I’ve been pleased by the reaction to the map since it went live. As it gains more markers it should become a really useful resource for antiques hunters and collectors,” said Mr Fletcher. See www.collectfair.co.uk/map
Online map launched to find the trade around the world
Antique hunters and collectors now have a way to locate fairs, centres, dealers’ shops and private sellers around the UK using a new online Collectables Map that pinpoints different locations.
