Alfies Celebrate 40 Years!

This year marks Alfies Antique Market’s 40th year in business... and we're celebrating!

When Bennie Gray bought the building, that was previously home to Jordan’s Department Store, in 1976, he had a clear vision of creating an unpretentious indoor antiques market. He quickly launched Alfies – named after his jazz musician father – and the centre went from strength to strength. Originally occupying just one floor of the building, Alfies Antique Centre today covers 35,000 square feet over four floors, complete with over 70 dealers and a charming roof-top café and terrace. Over the years, Alfies’ dealers have spread out on to the surrounding Church Street, opening shops and turning this corner of Marylebone into a destination for antiques, decorative items and high quality design.

Alfies in the 1970s

Alfies on opening day, 1976

To celebrate this impressive anniversary, Alfies and the Church Street antiques area are hosting a week of pop-up shops and activities in collaboration with this year’s London Design Festival, between 20 and 24 September 2016.

Alfies’ main attraction will be an occupancy from London Glassblowing, which was established by Peter Layton in 1976 and also shares its 40th anniversary with Alfies. Ahead of its time, London Glassblowing was among the first hot-glass studios in Europe and is now known as having a particular flair for the use of colour, form and texture.

Peter Layton in his glass blowing studio, 1979

Black Paradiso by Peter Layton

Peter Layton in his glass blowing studio

Alongside this, Church Street will be hosting an array of antique, art and design focused pop-up shops, with more details to be confirmed.

In-store, Alfies will also be holding talks and demonstrations from experts within and outside of the centre; Alfies is particularly proud to be welcoming Mark Hill for a talk on 20th century glass; co-founder of the Antiques Young Guns, Mark has also presented on both the BBC Antiques Roadshow and Collectaholics programmes.

Mark Hill

Find out more about our celebrations in September here

Antiques Young Gun of the Year 2014

The eagerly awaited confirmation of the Antiques Young Gun of the Year awards 2014 can now be revealed! The team behind this fast growing and now very high profile movement, designed to promote members of the antiques trade, aged 39 and under, George Johnson, Mark Hill and editor of Antiques News and Fairs Gail McLeod, are delighted to announce that the awards ceremony and party will take place on Friday 4 July 2014 and will be hosted here at Alfies Antiques Market!

Winner – The Antiques Young Gun 2013 – Timothy Medhurst.
From left: Organiser George Johnson, celebrity designer Nicky Haslam, Timothy Medhurst, Mark Hill

We are delighted to be hosting the awards this year and fully support the campaign. Last year we welcomed Alys Dobbie of Nanadobbie to Alfies for two months as part of the special Judge's Prize.  

Bennie Gray - who opened Alfies in 1976 - told Antiques News & Fairs: "These days the politicians are all saying it’s the entrepreneurial spirit that will save our economy. Which I think is true - of course the antiques trade has always been one of the most fertile breeding grounds for entrepreneurs, especially those with a fine eye for design. So it is a great privilege and a great pleasure for our antique markets to welcome and support the Young Guns. We wish them well.”

Winner of the special Judge’s Prize 2013, Alys Dobbie of Nanadobbie. From left: George Johnson, Alys Dobbie, Nicky Haslam, Mark Hill

Roof Top Kitchen

The awards ceremony and party will take place in the Rooftop Kitchen when the organisers will announce not only the winners and runners up but also which winning Young Gun will be matched with which of the twelve mentors, aka Antiques Heavy Artillery.

The names of the Antiques Heavy Artillery will be announced at the party to celebrate the 25th Bath Decorative Antiques Fair on Thursday 6 March 2014.

This group of twelve has been drawn from the most experienced and well known members of the trade across all sectors, aged 40 and over, and each has agreed to donate at least three days of their time over a twelve month period, from 4 July, to mentor one winning Antiques Young Gun.

Details of the prize package and how to get involved will be released at The Bath Decorative Antiques Fair.

Visit the Antique Young Guns website and follow the updates at: www.antiquesnews.co.uk