FLOG IT! PRESENTER PAUL MARTIN TO HOST VALUATION DAY IN CHIPPENHAM

Well known popular TV antique expert, Paul Martin, will be sharing his knowledge and experience with Chippenham residents on Thursday 25th April by hosting a free community valuation day at the Neeld Hall.

The valuation day, which is being run in partnership with world renowned Devizes auctioneers Henry Aldridge & Son, for which Paul is Head of Valuations, will take place 10am-3pm and is intended to encourage members of the public to dust off those items they’ve always been curious about and bring them along to be discussed, valued and perhaps sold. 

Beth O’Brien, Head of Venues, said: ““The Neeld is delighted to be hosting a free antiques valuation day in our beautiful new foyer. Come along and ask renowned expert Paul Martin to value your antiques or collectibles. Paul brings a wealth of knowledge & enthusiasm for this free community day.  Our café and Box Office will also be open for business.”

Paul would be delighted to see items ranging from antiques, collectables, silver, gold, militaria and jewellery. 

“The day in Chippenham is going to be so interesting,” said Paul. “Chippenham’s industrial and manufacturing history, as well as its older history as a wool producer, is integral to the town’s make-up, even today. This is closely related to the history of the railways in the area, too. There are all sorts of fascinating tales from Chippenham’s history, so our community valuation day will be fascinating and I’m very much looking forward to seeing what people choose to bring along.”

Paul has been a tv presenter and expert for over 20 years on programmes including the Antiques’ Road Trip; Flog It!; CountryFile and many more. He has a new series, Paul Martin’s Auction Showdown, going live on Channel 5 this year.

“Even though I am a tv presenter and still enjoy my broadcast career, I’m an antiques man at heart and these events allow me to get back to what drives me — the people, their objects and the stories they tell.”

The day is part of a programme of valuation days being run by Paul in his role as Head of Valuations at Henry Aldridge & Son, based in Devizes. 

“Wiltshire is such a great part of the country for hosting these kinds of days,” said Paul. “There is so much history here and the people are really generous with their time and curiosity, so I’m sure we’ll see some fascinating items and learn lots from the stories attached to them.”

The arrival of the railway in Chippenham in 1841 hugely accelerated the growth and expansion of the town, and it quickly went from a centre for coal mining to a rapidly-growing town that was attracting an array of different industries and businesses keen to set up in the area. 

By the middle of the 19th century, Chippenham had become well-known as a centre for mass-produced agricultural products, with the Nestle factory arriving in 1873 and fast becoming a major local employer. At one point, it was the most modern factory in the UK, pioneering the use of tin cans as containers for condensed milk.

Chippenham’s earlier history also saw it benefit from the wool industry that Wiltshire was well-known for in pre-industrial Britain. 

The site of Paul Martin’s valuation day is the Neeld Hall, which is housed in Neeld Community and Arts Centre, located on Borough Parade and the High Street. The beautiful Victorian forum was recently restored and improved by Chippenham Town Council, having originally been a large cheese hall when it was built as part of an extension to Chippenham Town Hall between 1848 and 1850. It was converted into an auxiliary war hospital during World War One and began being used for events again in the 1960s. 

“With this kind of rich history it will be so interesting to see what items are brought to our attention,” says Paul. “We could end up being presented with some really fascinating items. What’s exciting about community valuation days is you never quite know what will turn up. It’s full of surprises!”

This event in Chippenham is part of a set of community valuation days being held by Paul Martin in Wiltshire and Somerset during the Spring. For more information please visit: https://www.henryaldridge.com/valuations/valuation-days/south-west/