All our yesterdays!
Website Editor • June 21, 2019
Back to the 70s at the Plymouth Carpet Fair
While the country at large were busy tapping their fingers to “Downtown,” “Stairways to Heaven” or John Lennon “Imagine” In the West Country twice a year Cyril (Stan) Stanton from Bondworth Carpets and Colin Shaw from Brockway Carpets were always busy ensuring that the South West Carpet Exhibition known as the Plymouth Carpet Fair ran according to plan in both the Spring and Autumn.
From the lunch time onwards on the Monday the Guildhall car parks and all the surrounding side streets saw a frenzy of activity as cars vans and lorries all jockeyed for position for each and every manufacturer’s stand to be laid out all bristol fashion in time for the Grand Opening on the Tuesday morning.
All stands complete, in keeping with the time honoured “friendly trade” tradition, each representative coughed up 10/- (50p in today’s money) which paid for sandwiches and beer at the local “Valiant Soldier” pub and an excellent opportunity to catch-up with colleagues and friends in the trade.
On the Tuesday morning all the reps and a few early customers would gather around the Guildhall “Bar” area when a toast was proposed by an invited guest and everyone responded raising their glass of sherry.
With 70 plus bodies all positioned on the staircase and landing, triggering the “self timer” on the camera was a odds-on favourite to guarantee smiles all round (see above). Developing the film after dark in the hotel bedroom and producing a 10” x 8” print meant that all those present could order a copy if they so wished.
By and large the main hall and the surrounding adjoining areas (on the same floor) was occupied by axminster and wilton manufacturer’s, the one exception being Roberts Smoothedge (as they were happy to take the raised stage area)
Back then a typical retailer could offer his customer:
• Tufted carpet for £3 per square yard
• 7 row axminster for £4 per square yard
• 9 row axminster for £5 per square yard
Today of course it has all changed, with vast strides made in tufted manufacturing, and total differences in interior expectations and requirements.
While it is a sad fact that a number of the trade’s personalities (in the photograph) are no longer with us, many are, and a select few are still very active each and everyday.
Report and photo by Bernard Harding (retired Hugh Mackay representative).
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