New Future for Arena Antiques Fairs

The future of the much loved Antiques Fairs at Northgate Arena was in the balance as organisers decided to pull out of the long established event.

Antique Fairs have been a regular event at the Northgate Arena almost since the first day the centre opened in the late 1970’s and have always proved successful in a City renowned for its heritage and antiques sales pedigree. However, the management of the Fairs changed hands in recent years and its popularity had started to wane. During the summer the current organisers decided that the large hall was no longer a financially viable venue and took the decision to stop their Fairs at the Arena.

However, the Arena management decided that this would leave too large a hole in their events programme and took the decision to start a new fair, utilising the vacated long established dates of the last Saturday in the month and Bank Holidays.

‘It wasn’t an easy decision to take’ explains services manager Clive Donovan. ‘Whilst we have huge experience in event management, organising events from RAC Rally Ceremonies to Rock Concerts and trade exhibitions to Badminton Internationals, the Antique business will be new to us. There are already many established fairs and sales in the area with which we will need to compete.’ To help CADSART’s management team maintain and improve the Fairs, a local antiques trader has been retained to advise them.

‘After speaking to many potential stall holders, we identified that advertising and marketing had been reduced over the previous few years. So we’ve made a conscious decision to improve this area and already have many new promotional ideas arranged’ continues Donovan. ‘We’re not in this to make a profit, like the other events organised locally. We simply need to break even and if we do make some money then it’ll be ploughed back into the business’

The next Antiques Fairs are scheduled for Saturday 28 th October, Saturday 25 th November and a Christmas Holiday Antiques Fair to be held on Saturday 30 th December.

Doors open to customers at 9.30am with free parking and Fair admission is only £1 for everyone.