Free time, Free parking*, Free cake**?

Cooper Events' Annual Buxton Antiques Fair returns in mid-May, and your favourite Antiques Web Design team will be visiting too! The fair has been running since the sixties but has been revitalised by Sue and Duncan at Cooper Events for the last 14 years.

Just like us, the team behind the fair know a thing or two about attracting new collectors and buyers for traditional antiques, 20th century and fine art.

And you know ph9 like to keep it simple and help you make the most of every opportunity. In this blog, we bring you the need-to-know info about the fair and curated the best bits of Buxton.

The Buxton Decorative, Antiques & Art Fair 2023

We have been lucky enough to get to know (and love!) Sue Ede of Coopers Events, who organises the fair:

Sue said: "The Annual Buxton Antiques Fair is one of the highlights of the spring season for the UK art and antiques market. In the past few years, we have brought in many new specialist exhibitors, adding an extra dimension to the wide range of art and antiques for sale. The fair brings together the finest pieces, from the art and antiques market."

Logistics for the The Buxton Decorative, Antiques & Art Fair

When

The fair takes place 12th – 14th May 2023

Opening hours

Fri & Sat 11am - 5pm
Sunday 11am - 5pm

What you'll find at the fair

Fine 18th, 19th and 20th century paintings and sculpture; Mid-Century modern and decorative pieces; Fine furniture (both fine oak and country furniture and Townhouse pieces); Georgian; Regency; Victorian; Arts & Crafts; Edwardian; Collectables (from fine silver, and bronzes to pottery, porcelain and glassware); Jewellery.

Entry

Admission is free when you download a ticket from the Cooper Events website or £5 per person on the day. NB only assistance dogs are allowed.

Price range

From £20 to over £50k (for the finest pieces).

Exhibitors

The list of over 40 exhibitors can be found here

Where

The fair is held in Buxton, around an hour north of Derby, south of Manchester and west of Sheffield. The Octagon building overlooks the famous Buxton Pavilion Gardens and is just a few minutes from the town centre on St Johns Road, SK17 6BE.

Parking

The nearest pay and display parking is Pavilion Gardens car park, St. John's Road, SK17 9AR. Open from 8am to 6pm, there are 199 car spaces, and fees are a very reasonable £5.40 for 4-10 hours. You can pay via the PayByPhone application, and machines accept cash but do not give change. A word of warning, the undercroft gates may be locked from 6pm and not accessible until 8am the next day!

There is a 270-space pay and display car park on the corner of St John's Road and Burlington Road (SK17 9AR), with 8 disabled car parking spaces.

Cooper Events Contact details

Telephone: 01278 784912
Email: info@cooperevents.com
Website: www.cooperevents.com/buxton/

Buxton’s best bits for Antiques Fair visitors

So what do you do after you've visited the fair?

The Annual Buxton Antiques Fair is held in the Octagon at the famous Buxton Pavilion Gardens. At the Pavillion Gardens you will find a winter conservatory, botanical garden and fish pond, flower shop, art gallery, tearooms, grab-and-go kitchen, ice cream parlour and coffee van.

The 23 acres of Pavilion gardens also feature formal gardens, flower beds, shaded walks, a miniature railway and a boating lake. Local brass bands play on the Don Redfern Memorial Bandstand on Sunday afternoons between 2pm and 4pm. The adjacent promenade has seating and views over the river – perfect for a picnic (if we are blessed with the weather!)

The joint highest market town in England, Buxton is probably most famous for its healing spa waters. It also boasts some beautiful Georgian and Victorian architecture, courtesy of the 5th Duke of Devonshire.

There is even more to discover during your trip to Buxton this year!

1. Free time in Buxton
 

Food & drink

Before or after the fair, why not venture beyond the Pavilion catering and eat, drink and be merry in Buxton’s pubs, cafes and restaurants. You could even try a pub quiz:

• The Old Sun Inn, 33 High Street (quiz on Thursday)
• The Railway at Buxton, 7 Bridge Street (quiz on Wednesday)
• The Cheshire Cheese 37-39 High Street (quiz on Sunday)

Peak district walks

Buxton is set on the fringes of the Peak District, meaning there are plenty of free walks on your doorstep. From the Pavilion Gardens (adjacent to the Annual Buxton Antiques Fair) to Mam Tor, you will be spoiled for choice for a walk.

Mam Tor/ Mother Hill/ Shivering Mountain is a 517m hill in the High Peak area of Derbyshire. The popular 6½ mile ridge walk starts in Castleton and offers stunning views over Edale and Hope Valley.

Nearby Poole’s Cavern & Buxton Country Park are worth a visit. Here, you can explore a natural cavern below ground and hear stories of the underground landscape of the Peak District. Discover impressive cathedral-sized chambers, once inhabited by Stone age settlers, and magnificent crystal stalactites.

Local history and architecture

Admission is free at Buxton Museum and Art Gallery. The museum has over 1200 items on display covering archaeology, geology, art and the history of the Peak District. They also host seasonal exhibitions and a family area for under 5s. Open Tuesday – Saturday: 10am to 5pm, Sunday: 12pm to 4pm, last admission 3.30pm.

The Devonshire Dome is a sight to behold! With a larger span than St Paul’s Cathedral, it was built by the Duke of Devonshire to complement the Crescent.

There are more architectural masterpieces in the Grade II-listed Edwardian Opera House and historic Old Hall Hotel (reputed to be one of the oldest hotels in England).

Shop

New to the Pavilion Gardens is the Buxton Brewery shop and bar. They have a lounge area and outdoor seating and sell cold cans, four draught beer lines, local gin, and brewery merchandise. Open until around 3pm Monday to Friday and 4pm at the weekend. We fancy trying the Trillionaire’s stout!

Buxton has several independent retailers and High Street brands at The Springs Shopping Centre, Cavendish Arcade, and The Old Court House.

And there is also a regular market, from 9am-4pm every Tuesday and Saturday.

2. Free parking* in Buxton

*Well, sort of! Parking spaces are in high demand in the town centre. There are 199 pay and display spaces next to the venue, but travelling to the fair by public transport makes it even easier.

There is a bus stop right outside the venue on St John’s Road, adjacent to Pavilion Gardens. This is the stop for visitors travelling on the 76 (76Buxton – BrownedgeHigh Peak), 108 (108 Leek Town Centre), or 58 (58 Macclesfield – Buxton / Chatsworth House High Peak).

More buses stop at Buxton Market Place (Stop A): 58Macclesfield – Buxton / Chatsworth HouseHigh Peak, 65Tideswell – MeadowhallStagecoach Yorkshire, 65ATideswell – MeadowhallStagecoach Yorkshire, 108Ashbourne – BuxtonD & G Bus, 441Buxton – AshbourneHigh Peak, 442Buxton – Longnor – AshbourneHigh Peak.

Buxton train station is around a 7-minute walk from the Octagon. You can find the network map below...

Most hotels with parking near the Pavilion are fully booked for this year, so it is worth booking early for your visit in 2024!

Less than half a mile from the event, Roseleigh Guest House faces the Pavilion Gardens and lake and offers free parking and Wi-Fi. There are up to nine spaces available (depending on how well residents park!). These are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Best Western Plus Buxton Lee Wood Hotel also offers free parking (it is a little further out). It is a fully modernised Georgian building with private gardens, a fitness centre and a rosette-winning restaurant.

The magnificent Ensana Buxton Crescent 5-star hotel is at the heart of the town. This Grade I-listed hotel and spa couldn’t be much closer to the fair (just 0.2 miles from the Octagon). It still has availability (as I write this!), with hassle-free valet parking (£20 per night), a fitness centre and a bar. (But it does come with a hefty price tag!)

The Palace Hotel Buxton & Spa also offers stress-free parking (£5 per 24 hours). This grand Victorian hotel is around 7 minutes (on foot) from the antiques fair. Part of the Britannia Hotels chain, it has an indoor swimming pool, spa, wellness centre and beauty salon.

3. Free cake!

If you are visiting from south of Buxton, you are welcome to pop into Antiques Web Design by ph9 in Derby on your way to or from the show to talk about your own antique website from Antiques Web Design. Just give us a call on 01332 898 429 or email on mail@antiqueswebdesign.com to make an appointment and we'll make sure we have cake ready!

Take a 2-week free trial on one of our hassle-free off-the-shelf plans. We will set it up and show you how to use it over coffee and cake on us. See you soon?