For a ninth year in a row thousands of lovers of the odd, the old, and the strange descended on Beccles for its Antiques Street Market.
The event saw 100 general and specialist dealers fill the streets of Beccles, selling a wide range of quality antiques and collectables including furniture, silver, china, linen, jewellery, books, clocks, retro and vintage design/clothing and decorative items.
Running from 8am to 4pm on Sunday, May 6, the fair is the first of two this year, with the next to take place on Sunday, August 12, again from 8am to 4pm.
Local shops, restaurants and bars all opened their doors to visitors from far and wide, allowing shoppers to take a break and rest their feet, with additional catering stalls at the market including a hog roast, hot drinks, and in the beautiful May bank holiday sunshine, the much-needed ice cream van.
In and amongst the hundreds of people milling about in Beccles, there was also a competition afoot between the A Shop Charity and the 2nd Beccles Scout Group who took part in their very own version of Bargain Hunt.
Given £100 each to buy as many bargains as they can, their items will be sold at Durrants Antiques Auction for profit, with any money raised going to the charities involved.
Organiser Kate Lee, who runs Blyburgate Antiques and set up the event alongside Saxons owner Christine Pinsent in 2009, said: “It is a great atmosphere with really nice dealers and traders with wonderful customers as well.
“I think the event is a really good size which suits Beccles perfectly which means we’re delighted by the format at the moment.”
She added: “All the shops are open, both the independents and the chain shops and they are all really supportive of us and give us a lot of help.
“They do put up with a bit from us as well with the inconvenience but all the money being spent in Beccles today is shared with everybody and it helps put Beccles on the map.
“You couldn’t have asked for anything better in regards to the weather either with it being such a beautiful day.”
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