Kingsbridge Antiques Centre is to celebrate its tenth birthday
The Centre will be 10 years old later this month, on September 27.
The property at 4 Ebrington Street was originally part of the King of Prussia Public House.
In 1830 the building was rented out as a Butcher’s Shop with accommodation.
In 1924 it became a barber, and in 1936 the building was sold to the Crimp family. Mr Lenny Crimp ran the barbers from 1936 until 1979.
In 1979, Mr Crimp closed the business and retired to the accommodation above. And it remained a house until the early 20th Century, when Philip and Diane Groves bought the building and opened it as a pine showroom.
In 2013 they decided that Antiques and Crafts were the way forward and, with the help of local dealers keen to have the opportunity to sell their stock, the pine showroom was converted into an Antiques Centre. And it flourished.
In 2022, Philip and Diane Groves retired. However, with a new owner, the Centre lives on and now has 20 dealers selling antiques, vintage collectables, books, vinyl and jewellery.
As is to be expected, the past is never far away, and some of the happiest moments are when more elderly gentlemen enter the Centre and point out where they would wait for their haircut. And of a winter’s eve when the air is still and crisp, it is said his scissors can still be heard.
The Antiques Centre can be found on Facebook and Instagram, to follow their birthday celebrations.