Fairs, Markets, Shops and Centres

This c.1800 flintlock pistol below by James Wilkinson, London, was used on packet ships to protect the General Post Office mail.

The annual three-day Kent County Show is a big favourite in the southeast of England and has been held at the Kent County Showground, near Maidstone since 1964.

Six months ago a small town on the edge of Dartmoor with a population of 4000 launched an antiques trail to promote all 11 of its antiques and vintage shops. Now the Ashburton Antiques Trail includes both the expansion of one of its existing businesses into larger premises and the arrival of a 12th antiques shop.

Jane Alexander of Dovehouse Fine Antiques Fairs is always pleased to welcome new faces to her antiques fairs at the Dorking Halls in Surrey.

A testimony to its popularity, the small weekly fleamarket in Buckingham has been running for more than 25 years.

A three-day biannual vintage and collectors’ fair held outdoors on a farm near Hailsham in East Sussex is now in its second year. It runs this weekend from Friday to Sunday, June 21-23.

Organisers report that all of their events are fully booked as far ahead as October this year

“It seemed that the world and his wife and most of Surrey came out for our inaugural Sunday Sandown fair, the complimentary Pimms flowed and the afternoon jazz set from Sabina Desir and Nick Adams, who trades at both our Tuesday markets and is nifty on the ivories as well, set the tone perfectly.”

B2B Events’ Malvern Antiques and Collectors’ Fair at the Three Counties Showground runs tri-annually, with the next on Sunday, June 23 – different timing to the organisers’ Malvern flea markets held nine times a year at the showground.

Cardiff Indoor Flea Market is referenced by furniture restorer and interior designer Jay Blades as one of his favourite places to buy.

Over in Kensington Gore’s Royal Geographical Society, The London Map Fair includes an astronomical highlight to mark the 50th anniversary of the first moonwalk. The map, signed and inscribed by Buzz Aldrin, shows the lunar landing site, and is offered by The Map House for £7500.

Antiques firms, fleamarket and a fair give even more reasons to visit the in-demand region.

The south Wales town of Carmarthen also featured in The Sunday Times ‘Best Places’ list and one of its attractions is the popular large monthly antiques and fleamarket held at the United Counties Showground in Carmarthen.

Society fair celebrates ephemeral items in which interest is sustained.

Two relocations and an opening at a trio of English antiques centres.

The Great Hall in the privately owned 18th century Grade I-listed Crowcombe Court in the Quantock Hills, west Somerset, near Taunton, is an intricately decorated room which makes it an ideal setting for many events.

As So Last Century, Alison Davis and Alan Old run vintage fairs at three south London venues: St Dunstan’s College in Catford, the White Eagle Club in Tooting and at Beckenham Place Mansion in Beckenham Place Park.

Bookings are significantly up this year for the Fawley Decorative Fair which is held on the Fawley Hill estate near Henley-on-Thames and runs from Friday to Sunday, May 31-June 2.

Organised by rugs and kilims dealer Malcolm Cannell for the third year, the annual Bayfield Hall Antiques Fair takes place on Sunday, June 9.

Sharon Blagrove of Bentleys Fairs will be heading to Hertfordshire this weekend to set up her fifth salvage and vintage fair in the leafy surroundings of Knebworth Park.