BBC’s daytime favourite Bargain Hunt is bringing the competition to Northern Ireland this Easter.
The programme sees teams go head-to-head hunting for the best bargains. Both have a budget of £300 and are given an hour to scour an antique fair and buy items they think will sell at auction for a profit.
The winning team get to keep the difference between what they spent on the item and the price paid at auction - ideally turning their buck into a bargain.
The upcoming Northern Irish antiques fair will be held in McLarnon’s Ramble Inn in Co Antrim.
Speaking to The Irish News, event organiser Bill Baxter said, “We’ve been running the fair in the Ramble Inn three times a year for the last eight years and it’s now the biggest fair in the north.
“Out of the blue I got a phone call from the producer of Bargain Hunt saying they hadn’t been to Northern Ireland for quite some time, and they were wanting to do an episode here and were wondering if we wanted to be involved.”
Hosted by Prestige Antique Fairs NI, the fair will provide the production team with the opportunity to capture a few local faces on the day as well provide the competing teams with a treasure trove of items all of which could make them a potential profit.
Presenter Roo Irvine will be on hand as the team set about filming two episodes.
“They said they were really looking forward to filming in Northern Ireland,” Mr Baxter recalled.
“We were only too happy to accommodate them especially as it gives the antique trade in Northern Ireland a boost and highlights the quality of stuff that will be on display.”
Northern Ireland is quickly developing a reputation as a hidden gem in relation to antiques which was highlighted by another BBC programme.
Antiques Roadshow visited Derry last July, intending to broadcast one programme. However, so many different antiques and areas of historical interest were uncovered that its producers decided to feature Derry in three episodes.
It is Mr Baxter’s hope that the fair and subsequent Bargain Hunt episodes will help promote the high standard of the antique trade in Northern Ireland even more.
“We have 30 dealers and they’re all top class bringing in quality stuff – they’re the best of the best,” he added.
The fair is set to take place on Easter Tuesday April 2 from 11am.
