GROSVENOR HOUSE ART & ANTIQUE FAIR SHUTS DOORS AFTER 75 YEARS

LONDON'S GROSVENOR HOUSE ART & ANTIQUE FAIR RECENTLY CELEBRATED ITS 75th ANNIVERSARY, BUT UNLIKE PAST YEARS WHERE THE CELEBRATION WAS JUBILANT THIS YEAR'S IS FILLED WITH SADNESS AND GOODBYES. THE BRITISH ANTIQUE DEALERS' ASSOCIATION HAS SAID THE EVENT WILL CLOSE BECAUSE THE HISTORIC FAIR IS NO LONGER FINANCIALLY VIABLE. THE EVENT HAS BEEN HELD AT THE GROSVENOR HOUSE HOTEL IN LONDON'S PARK LANE FOR THREE QUARTERS OF A A CENTURY. THIS YEAR MORE THAN 90 DEALERS EXHIBITED WORKS RANGING FROM MEDIEVAL SCULPTURES TO CONTEMPORARY ART WORKS. TO PUT ON THE AMAZING EVENT THE GROSVENOR HOUSE HOTEL HAD TO CLOSE DOWN ACCESS TO ITS GREAT ROOM FOR MOST OF THE MONTH OF JUNE IN ORDER TO GET THE SPACE READY FOR THE EXHIBITS. THE IMMENSE COST OF THE LOSS OF REVENUE PLUS THE INCREASING PRICE OF INSURANCE AND STAGING FEES WEIGHED DOWN THE FAIR BUDGET. ALSO THIS FAIR LIKE MANY OTHER ART AND ANTIQUE FAIRS, HAS SUFFERED FROM A LACK OF CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP THIS YEAR - AS COMPANIES TRIM THEIR BUDGETS, SPONSORSHIPS OF THE ARTS ARE OFTEN THE FIRST TO BE CUT. THE GROSVENOR HOUSE ART & ANTIQUE FAIR WAS CREATED IN 1934, DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION, AS A WAY OF BOOSTING SALES IN A DOWN MARKET. OVER THE YEARS, THE FAIR'S POPULAR GALA OPENING HAS BEEN ATTENDED BY ROYALTY AND WORLD CELEBRITIES. THIS YEAR'S FAIR WAS CONDUCTED UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF HER ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCESS ALEXANDRA.