Fair organisers were forced into making dramatic changes to their schedule as almost every event in the UK and Ireland was either cancelled or postponed last week, while many dealers were left facing the most challenging conditions for trading in living memory.
Without the normal run of fairs and markets as an outlet and with footfall coming to a virtual standstill for most antiques shops and galleries, even more so in the wake of the announcement last Friday of restrictions of business openings, cash f low has suddenly become a critical concern for the trade which is inevitably now looking to alternatives including ramping up the volume it sells online.
Dealer associations are appealing to the government for urgent help. While they have welcomed the relief package for business, they made calls for the authorities to provide more support.