(LYN) The idea for running a vintage fair came when I got a bit fed-up with getting up early at the weekend to sell my vintage costume jewellery at events around the Newbury area. So I thought that if I started one myself, I could get up a bit later.
Anyway, after talking to Yvonne Hockey, a friend of 25 years standing, we decided that Newbury needed it’s own Vintage Fair and so Ruby’s was born!
We hired a small room at Newbury Rugby Club, found 12 brave stallholders who were prepared to take a chance on us, advertised locally and waited nervously on an April Saturday in 2012.
We were overwhelmed with the response of local vintage lovers and so we decided to do it again, only perhaps with a few more stallholders.
Anyway, 2 years later in 2014, Ruby’s has 7 Fairs booked at 3 venues. We moved from the Rugby Club as they didn’t seem fully prepared at that time for outside events to the Greenham Arts Centre but having outgrown that venue, found the wonderful modern buildings of Newbury College.
The Events Managers of Abingdon Guildhall and the Old Town Hall in High Wycombe both asked us to bring Ruby’s to them so we feel we must be doing something right!
And of course, I know now have to get up even earlier to get to the venues ahead of everyone else!
