My aunt and uncle and I went to “Bygone Times”:http://bygonetimes.co.uk/ many years ago, probably twenty. We remember it as a collection of buildings in a little village type setting. Imagine our surprise when we returned this spring to find a colossal building instead. The venue may have changed a lot but the feeling of stepping back in time was still the same. This is a treasure trove of antiques, collectibles, memorabilia and vintage; from furniture to clothing to household items to books to jewelry to artwork. We spent about four hours there along with another uncle this time around.
The goods from 500 stall holders are spread out over five different levels in an old mill. Just when you think you’ve seen everything, you find another area. We did some Christmas shopping and I found a bell for my aunt and uncle’s back door – just the ticket to ring when someone is working down at the bottom of the garden. My aunt and uncle found four paintings that made it to the vehicle when we left: two Lowry prints and two Frank Vettriano prints. Everything was reasonably priced.
If you want a break from shopping, there is a Victorian Penny Arcade and there are a couple of free exhibits to explore as well: WWII; and Titanic.
To take a rest during your scavenging there is a café which serves very good food at reasonable prices. We had jacket potatoes or sandwiches for lunch and returned as we were leaving to get ice creams before hitting the road.
There is plenty of parking and it is open 10:00 am – 5:30 pm every day except for Christmas. There is a small entrance fee and for only £2.50 for adults and £1.50 for seniors, you can get a lifetime membership. Though there are some ramps, there are mostly stairs between the floors.
