After a vintage market that has been running for 30 years slipped into disarray, a new manager has begun his turnaround.

Romford Recorder: Footfall has risen to 250 since the takeoverFootfall has risen to 250 since the takeover (Image: Archant)

Danny Aldridge, of Chingford, had his first day in charge of the market in Memorial Hall, High Road, South Woodford, and has already had stunning results.

The market on the first Saturday of every month had declined and could only boast about 20 stalls and one hundred customers a day.

But on Danny’s takeover day he had more than doubled this to 50 stalls and up to 250 customers.

The stalls ranged from vintage perfume purveyors to silverware sellers and military medal dealers.

Danny revealed to the Recorder the secrets to his success so far.

He said: “I think it’s the contacts and the experience I have made of the last couple of years running the Chingford market. That helps me and I’ve got a variety of good quality stalls.”

It’s not forests worth of flyers or flashy Facebook pages that get your market recognised in the antiques world - Danny hopes a far more traditional method will spread the word.

“It’s word of mouth in the antiques trade. You get a lot of people doing the circuits of antique’s fairs. It won’t take long for it to spread and get it back to being a great fair.”

While the first show was a vast improvement on previous years, Danny has ambitions to grow it back to its former glory.

“It’s been an excellent venue,” he said and wants to make it one again.

“I’m hoping to get it back to 400 people a day.”