Our guide to the Battersea Decorative Fair, Spring 2023

Our guide to the wonderful Battersea Decorative Fair; Spring 2023

At ph9, we love an excuse to catch up with our Antiques Boutique and Antiques Web Design clients throughout the year, and many of them exhibit at the Battersea Decorative Fair. This blog will cover everything you need to know to make the most of the fair, and any spare time you get afterwards to relax and enjoy yourself.

The Battersea Decorative Fair was founded in the 1980s by antiques dealer Patricia Harvey, bringing together antiques dealers and interior designers. It has been held at Battersea Park since 1997 and still attracts many respected interior designers, who rub shoulders with serious collectors and the general public.

Held at Evolution London, in Battersea Park, the Decorative Fair hosts over 150 dealers, bringing an array of antiques, fine art, outdoor ornaments, furniture, lighting, decoration, textiles, jewellery and bags.

Just like us, the team behind the fair prides itself on working with the best of established antiques businesses, and up-and-coming dealers, to create a treasure trove of antiques and experts!

This spring, the event falls just after the Coronation, giving you the perfect excuse to extend your trip to Battersea and see London in all its glory (once the crowds have left)!

Here are the basics you need to know about The Decorative Fair

Getting to The Decorative Fair in Battersea:

Where:

Evolution London
Battersea Park
London SW11 4NJ
(SW8 4NW for sat navs and taxis)

There are many ways to travel to Battersea Park, so we put them all in one place for you!

Free shuttle bus - This is probably the easiest method, and what I tend to use when visiting. There is a complimentary shuttle service to the fair from outside the Sloane Square Hotel, Sloane Square. The shuttle buses run around every 15 minutes. Exiting Sloane Square Tube station, look to your right and the hotel should be visible. There is a tempory bus stop put outside with the Decorative Fair logo on.

Tube - The nearest stop is Battersea Power Station, but you're probably better off getting the tube to Sloane Square and taking advantage of the free shuttle bus. Details above.

Train (overground) - Trains to Battersea Park Station run from Victoria and Clapham Junction. Trains from Chiswick or Waterloo run to Queenstown Road Station. Evolution is then c. 15 minutes on foot from either station.

Car -  NB. Whilst it is in the ULEZ, Battersea Park is not in the Congestion Zone! Use SW8 4NW for Chelsea Bridge Gate, then follow the signs. There are also helpful yellow AA signs directing you to the fair from Chelsea and Knightsbridge. Free parking at the venue is limited, but there are Pay & Display car parks at Albert Car Park (Albert Bridge Rd, London, SW11 4NU) and Chelsea Bridge Wharf (372 Queenstown Rd, Nine Elms, London, SW11 8NH).

There is also limited guest parking at some local hotels, including Travelodge Battersea. Parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis: £9 per 24 hours for guests, Pay& Display via QR Code, phone, Horizon website or Horizon parking app. (Blue Badge holders are exempt from charges).

Battersea Decorative Fair opening times

• Tuesday 9th May. 12pm – 8pm: £20 per person, or free after 4pm
• Wednesday 10th May. 11am – 8pm: £10 per person, or free 4 – 8pm
• Thursday 11th May. 11am – 8pm: £10 per person, or free 4 – 8pm
• Friday 12th May. 11am – 7pm: £10 per person, or free 4 – 7pm
• Saturday 13th May. 11am – 7pm: £10 per person, or free 4 – 7pm
• Sunday 14th May. 11am – 6pm: £10 per person, or free 4 – 6pm
   

Buying tickets for The Decorative Fair (Spring)

You can buy tickets by clicking here. Many dealers also send out free tickets by email so it's worth joining the mailing lists of your favourite dealers. You can view the dealer (exhibitor) list by clicking here.
 

Good to know

• If you buy a large item, need to ship stock overseas, or travel to the fair by public transport, the event organisers can help! There is packing and export support on-site.
• Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome!
• For specific queries, email fairs@decorativefair.com or call +44 (0) 20 7616 9327

Things to do in Battersea during Fair Week

Battersea is a charming neighbourhood in the London Borough of Wandsworth. Seen as safe, with a family-friendly vibe, and exceptional outdoor space, it makes an ideal location for a few days in the capital (and an antiques fair, of course!).

May is the perfect time to visit Battersea, as the weather should be mild, and there are plenty of events and activities to enjoy.

Battersea is home to independent shops, cafes, and restaurants. Visitors can explore the charming streets and alleyways and discover hidden gems such as vintage clothing stores, artisanal bakeries, and trendy cocktail bars.

Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your trip...
 

The best food and drink in Battersea

This delicious frozen treat has been around for around 100 years, and there are many theories behind the name. One is that Italian soft ice cream makers were trying to think of ways to sell more stock in the UK. The Italian sovereign used to have a specially chosen guard of 99 men, so anything exceptional was known as a 99.

Nothing beats a stroll along the Thames, with an ice cream, on a sunny day. For high-end ice cream, visit Venchi Chocolate & Gelato. You will find it in the Power Station, Turbine Hall A.

The Thames Path runs along the river, offering visitors stunning views of the most iconic landmarks in London, including the Houses of Parliament and Tower Bridge.

If you fancy a picnic, you can pick up your essentials from Little Waitrose Battersea, 326 Queenstown Road (near the Rosery Gardens and boating lake). Waitrose could come in handy if you are at the fair on Saturday, 13th May, as cafes are likely to be busy, with the Battersea Park half marathon taking place.
 
If you leave the park, cross Albert Bridge to Chelsea Gardens, and stroll along Chelsea Embankment, you will be rewarded with a perfect view of Battersea Park Peace Pagoda.

You could also be rewarded with the perfect afternoon tea! The Chelsea Physic Garden cafe is a hidden gem in a beautiful setting.

For a more substantial evening meal, you will find Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and Gordon Ramsay’s Bar and Grill just two minutes away on Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea.

100 years (and 101 Dalmatians)

Disney Brothers Studio was created in 1923, and Walt Disney Studios has produced dozens of films, including the 1996 classic 101 Dalmatians, filmed in stunning Battersea Park!

This magical green space in the heart of London covers over 200 acres, with a Peace Pagoda, boating lake, children's zoo, and botanical garden. The park is a popular destination for picnics, walks, and outdoor activities and a great place to relax and enjoy the beauty of nature.

As with the Annual Buxton Antique Fair (held in the same week!), visitors can take a break from the fair, a stroll to the lake, and hire a rowing boat or pedalo. If you feel like a challenge, Go Ape Battersea has spectacular views across Battersea and the park, with zip wires and a Treetop Challenge twice the height of most Go Ape locations. Open 13th and 14th May.

The Pump House Gallery is also located in the park. A contemporary art gallery, it hosts a wide range of exhibitions, workshops, and events featuring local and international artists. Their May exhibition is called Noisy Bodies. It explores the relationship between sound and the body and features sound installations, sculptures, and performances.

Dog owners are welcome to bring their well-behaved Pongos and Perditas to the Battersea Decorative Fair, and there are plenty of dog-friendly restaurants nearby:

• Battersea Brewery
• Black Sheep Coffee
• Boom Cycle
• Cinnamon Kitchen
• Fiume
• Gordon Ramsay Street Pizza
• Megan’s
• No. 29 Power Station West
• Paul Edmonds
• Tapas Brindisa
• Tonkotsu
• Vagabond Wines

Room 101 – Battersea Power Station

The art deco Power Station is the most famous landmark in Battersea. It was designed in the 1930s and served as a power station until it closed 40 years ago. With an imposing facade, it was the ideal Ministry of Love in the 1984 film version of George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four.

Far from a prison, the interior of the building has been converted into a luxury residential and commercial development, with a permanent exhibition about the site.

If anything, the only fear you may get is FOMO – if you miss out on tickets for cinema screenings held at this electrifying venue: inside, in the arches, and at the pop-up outdoor cinema (dates TBC).

Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past. George Orwell, 1984.

So, there you have it, our surveillance on Battersea! There really is something for everyone in London this May, whether you are exhibiting or shopping at the Battersea Decorative Fair.

To discuss how Antiques Web Design by ph9 can make the web easy for antiques dealers with a beautiful modern website, or how we can help you with membership on our antiques marketplace, email hello@ph9.com or call us on +44 (0)1332 898 429.

I will be visiting on Thursday, 11th May, and heading to Buxton on Friday, 12th May. Hope to see you there! If you fancy meeting for a coffee then please do let me know.

The team at Antiques Web Design by ph9 is here to help you get started. We specialise in creating websites that are tailored to your business needs. We can also guide you through how to join antiques marketplaces, and help you set up and manage online advertising campaigns.

Contact us today to learn more and start taking action towards growing your business.

Image credits:-

• Photos of Battersea Fair taken by ourselves
• Other pictures credit to unplash, pixabay, pexels and Google maps