Since the death of her husband three years ago, Sleeney has run the fairs with the help of their daughter Dena and son-in-law David. Now the Grandma’s Attic Fairs’ portfolio has been bought by Bournemouth events organiser and antiques dealer Chris Brown and his partner Geoff Fagan, who have plans to expand the circuit.
The flagship antiques and collectors’ fair for the organisers has been run in Bournemouth since 1999 at the Bournemouth Pavilion, an Art Deco building which opened in 1929.
This triannual fair sees around 100 exhibitors and an average footfall over the weekend of 2000 visitors.
The other venues are in Southampton, Lymington and Wimborne. The first of the three annual antiques and collectors’ fairs at the Bournemouth Pavilion is on Saturday and Sunday, February 11-12.
