London Weekend Break

Antique fairs

More and more people are going to antique fairs, auction houses and even car boot sales as they hunt for a prized possession, or something that they would not find on the high street.

When it comes to antique fairs, Greater London is the place to be and if this is something that interests you then why not incorporate it into your London weekend break. This page provides you with details and information about some of the larger and better known antique fairs – and a few of the smaller ones for good measure.

Some fairs take place on a particular day of the week, e.g. Monday, some take place on a particular day of each month, e.g. the first Tuesday, and others run for a set time with a start and finish date.

If you are very interested in antiques then you need to know which fairs you want to visit so that you can arrange your London break to coincide with them.

Where are London's antique fairs?

There are antique fairs taking place all over the Greater London area and the counties that surround it, here is a good sample. (Please be aware that the vendors can change the dates, so the information provided was, as far as we can ascertain, correct at the time that we published it.)

• Romford Shopping Hall has a number of antique fairs at different times and on different dates. There is a fair on the second Tuesday of each month which can have anything and everything. This can include items of furniture through to much smaller collectables like stamps.

  Romford also has fair dates on Sundays which, in late 2011 include the 6th, 13th and 20th of November and the 4th and 18th of December.

• Wisborough Green has a collectors market and antique fair on the first Sunday of each calendar month. The items for sale cover a broad spectrum and will vary from month to month.
• The Royal Academy has an original print fair that normally runs over a number of days. They are located in Burlington Gardens and should be contacted for fair dates, entry charges etc.
• The Hotel Ibis has a London arms fair. This last for two days. They are located at Lillie Road.
• Chelsea Old Town Hall, situated on Kings Road, has a four day long arts fair. This fair takes place at the end of the year (and it may take place periodically throughout the year), other than that we have no further details.
• The Marquee at Battersea Park run a decorative antiques and textiles fair lasting a number of days. We believe that this fair occurs every month, however you should contact the venue to confirm this.
• Checking local newspapers and billboards in London will also inform you of any specialist fairs taking place.

If you are interested in selling anything at any of these antique fairs, then you need to contact the venue or location directly. Charges are normally based on table size or the number of tables required for the day and you will need to make any booking in advance.