A Wiltshire television presenter and antiques expert says the Trowbridge Antiques Fair just needs to grow and get bigger and better.

The two-day antiques fair on Saturday and Sunday, September 21 and 22 was the first time the event had been staged in Trowbridge at The Civic Centre.

More than 30 dealers came from all over the country, including Bath, Chippenham, Carlisle, Guildford, the Midlands, North Devon and South Wales.

TV’s Paul Martin takes a close look at a vase during the evaluation for Emma Maguire at Trowbridge Antiques Fair.TV’s Paul Martin takes a close look at a vase during the evaluation for Emma Maguire at Trowbridge Antiques Fair. (Image: Trevor Porter)

Paul Martin, head of valuations at Henry  Aldridge & Son in Devizes, and presenter of BBC TV’s Flog It! and Trust Me, I’m a Dealer, said: “I thought it was brilliant.

“I really enjoyed myself on Saturday. It’s a great little fair. There was a little bit of quality.

“It could have been busier but all in all the little charity auction was good and we raised £350 for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance, of which I am a patron.”

Dealers set up their stalls in the Lansdown Hall in The Civic, and around 80 people were in the queue when Mr Martin opened the fair at 10am on Saturday.

Marion and Harry Hilser, from Holt, brings a Coco de Mer valued at £800-plus by TV presenter and antiques expert Paul Martin at the Trowbridge Antiques Fair. Marion and Harry Hilser, from Holt, brings a Coco de Mer valued at £800-plus by TV presenter and antiques expert Paul Martin at the Trowbridge Antiques Fair. (Image: Trevor Porter)

Mr Martin added: “You have got to start somewhere. I personally believe it could be a great one-day event but Saturday was good.

“There were at least 80 in the queue at 10 o’clock in the morning.

“I was really busy. I did not stop all day long. I didn’t even have a lunch break. I just gave free valuations to the people of Trowbridge.

“By the time it finished, I was exhausted. I couldn’t wait to get home, to tell you the truth.

“I enjoyed it and everyone I spoke to enjoyed it. People were saying ‘this is great for Trowbridge. We need more like this’, so let’s hope it continues.

“We just need to make the fair grow and make it bigger and better.”

Some of the items valued by Mr Martin will go into a Henry Aldridge & Son antiques auction sale on October 25 and 26 in Devizes.

Event organiser Stephen Large who brought the Trowbridge Antiques Fair to The Civic. Event organiser Stephen Large who brought the Trowbridge Antiques Fair to The Civic. (Image: Trevor Porter)

Fair organiser Stephen Large, from Torquay, said he was “very happy” with the way the event went and intends to plan another fair in Trowbridge next year.

“We sold 150 tickets in advance and The Civic was the perfect location.”

“We have got to look at timings for next year now because Paul Martin is a very busy man but we will try to make it bigger.”