ANTIQUES have been dropped from the list of events at the Last Drop Village after more than a quarter century.

Weekly antiques fairs, attracting stallholders and buyers from around the country, have been held at the hotel since October 1972.

But now management at the hotel have decided that the time is up for the longest running weekly fair in the North West and the last one will be held this Sunday in the Penny Farthing Suite.

The hotel wants to be free to take other bookings such as weddings.

The move has devastated customers and the 35 stallholders who regularly attend the event.

Fair organiser Veronica Brooks said: "We have one lady who has been coming up from Wales every week for the last 20 years."

The shock news came last weekend when manager Jim Diamond gave notice to Mrs Brooks that the fairs must finish by the end of January. But the antiques dealers decided that if they had to go it would be better to end before Christmas.

Mrs Brooks added: "We are very saddened by the decision. It has closed the door on a big part of my life.

"I am sure many of your readers will be genuinely upset that it is not on.

"No decision has yet been made about holding the fairs at a different venue. "People keep on urging me to but I am absolutely shattered.

"I feel too stunned at the moment to make plans for the future."

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