Racecourses have long been popular venues for hosting art and antiques fairs and this trend is definitely not showing any signs of slowing down.
Perhaps the oldest and best known antiques event held at a racecourse is Sunbury Antiques Market which was first out of the stalls at Kempton Park Racecourse in 1979.
With their ease of access, plenty of outside space, good parking and signposting, more organisers are choosing such venues for their fairs.
For example, the Huntingdon Antiques Fair launched at Huntingdon Racecourse in May, as did a new fair at Cheltenham Racecourse, while Blackdog Events is showing its colours with the Dark Horse Brocante at Fakenham Racecourse.
Here we talk to a few more enthusiasts.
Filling in
An equine wood sculpture at one of Associated Collectors’ Events at Newmarket Racecourse.
“Venues like racecourses are becoming more commercially aware and, like all businesses, are under pressure to ‘sweat’ their assets/ increase revenue/support costs. For plus/minus 50 weeks a year racecourses do not host their core activity and antiques events fit in well with their profile,” says Paul Kelly of Associated Collectors’ Events.
Kelly runs an antiques and collectors’ fair incorporating an art fair five times a year with a strong line-up of 200-plus inside/outside stalls at Newmarket Racecourse, a course with a lot of kudos.
This event has been running for 30 years, launching with DMG, forerunners of IACF, followed in 2004 by Nelson Events. Kelly acquired the fair in 2020.
The next fair is on Sunday, September 8.
Lifelong interest
Antiques dealer Stephanie Castell is co-organiser with fellow dealer Ben Cooper of 2C’s Antiques Fairs at Ludlow Racecourse in Shropshire which they have run for more than 20 years. “It’s a home from home. We even sleep there when the fairs are on,” she says.
Two years ago 2C’s introduced their successful summer fair as an add-on to their biannual antiques fairs using two buildings and offering an outside fleamarket.
Castell herself knows all about racecourses as she has been involved in the ‘sport of kings’ since she was still at school when she rode out at weekends for a trainer in Bedfordshire and then as a full-time employee.
Now the proud owner herself of two racehorses, she says: “I was married to a trainer and we worked together training racehorses until it became financially unviable.
“Horses and racing are an addiction like antiques and I have never lost touch with the sport and people involved.”
The next summer fair at Ludlow Racecourse runs on Saturday and Sunday, July 6-7.
Famous site
Victoria and Paul Rowson organise antiques and collectors’ fairs in locations with enviable backdrops including Himley Hall near Wolverhampton and Hartlebury Castle in Worcestershire. Equally striking is Cheltenham Racecourse where the couple launched a fair two months ago.
Victoria says: “We were keen to hold fairs here as it’s one of the most famous courses in the country.
“The exhibitor areas are all at ground floor level with a free-flowing feel through the rooms. Visitors to the fair were able to see the Gold Cup, the banners in the Hall of Fame displaying the silks of previous winners and enjoy their coffee and cake while sitting on the stands overlooking the finishing post.
“You cannot fail to be impressed by the sheer size of the course.”
The next outing for the Rowsons at Cheltenham Racecourse is on Sunday, August 4.
Call 07976 643174.
Perfect backdrop
Last August Dave Steel of Tree of Ages Antiques took over the antiques and collectors’ fair held at Epsom Racecourse for 30 years from Continuity Fairs. It has run on a Tuesday nine times a year, with the next on July 16 featuring around 60 stands.
Steel said: “The council are supportive of our signage advertising for the fair and the setting of the venue provides a perfect backdrop for the event. The venue is also geared up in terms of staffing to accommodate the times when we require access whereas smaller independent venues cannot always provide this. The course offers flexibility too in terms of both inside and outside space.”
