News Item: 00080

30th Jun 2009

The Grosvenor House Art & Antiques Fair comes to an end after 75 glorious years

Source: http://www.grosvenorfair.co.uk

It is with great regret that The Grosvenor House Art & Antiques Fair and Grosvenor House announce that The Grosvenor House Art & Antiques Fair will no longer be continued.

For 75 years the hotel and the art and antiques trade have enjoyed a happy and productive relationship, but it has been decided in consultation with the British Antique Dealers' Association and The Grosvenor House Art & Antiques Fair Executive Committee that the Fair is no longer financially viable. The closure of this much- loved fair, however, presents an opportunity for the trade to mount a new event commensurate with maintaining London as the centre of the art market.

"It has been a privilege for Grosvenor House to host the Art & Antiques Fair for so long and I am delighted we were able to celebrate its 75th anniversary together", said Anthony Stewart-Moore, General Manager of the hotel, "I would like to pay tribute to Simon Phillips and the Executive Committee of the Fair as well as its long- standing Director, Alison Vaissière and her organising team for working so hard for so many years to produce one of the finest art and antiques fairs in the world."

Simon Phillips, Chairman of the Fair, said that the 2009 event had been a great success and commented: "It is a great disappointment to me that The Grosvenor House Art & Antiques Fair has come to an end. I quite understand that it no longer makes financial sense to continue the Fair. It has been a very long and happy partnership but most great events have a lifespan and a Diamond Anniversary is a fitting point on which to end on a positive note."

The Grosvenor House Art & Antiques Fair was launched in September 1934 to great acclaim. It was a groundbreaking event setting the standards that all others strived to follow. The final Fair - an acknowledged success - was held in June 2009.

END