We spent last Sunday surrounded by vintage chic in the North Norfolk countryside at the most recent of this year’s Little Vintage Lover Fairs. It was hosted at the newly renovated ‘Control Tower‘ B&B in Creake, the perfect backdrop to a weekend of D-Day remembrance and wartime nostalgia.
Little Vintage Lover Fair is a Norfolk based fair that delivers a touch of vintage glamour to a whole host of village halls, barns, stately homes and medieval halls across the county. Drawing in a plethora of vintage traders and enthusiasts, the stall holders and visitors are always a feast for the senses. A spectacle of colour, texture, pattern and victory rolls!
In fitting tribute to the anniversary of the D-Day landings, this Vintage Lover Fair was held at the former control tower of RAF North Creake Airfield. Since being built in 1943 the control tower has had many uses but in recent years it’s been a labour of love for owners and vintage enthusiasts, Nigel and Claire.
Smitten by its history, this amazing couple have spent two years renovating this unique building. They’ve converted it into a stunning Bed and Breakfast which was officially launched on the day of the fair. Surrounded by the beautiful North Norfolk countryside and a stone’s throw from Wells-Next-The-Sea, Burhnam Market and Holkham, The Control Tower is the perfect spot for a touch of history, fun and escapism, the ideal companion for a Little Vintage Lover Fair!
At the Lover Fair you will always find a broad mixture of clothing, homewares, accessories, jewellery, small furniture and remade vintage, among other gems. It’s one of our favourite haunts for finding crockery and kitchenware for our Cotswold Company Home and if you’re a vintage magpie like us, you’ll be in your element sifting through the knick-knacks and bric-a-brac to find your little piece of treasure.
As the sun shone across the Norfolk countryside the magic of the fair and the stunning backdrop of the modernist Control Tower created a bustling atmosphere of wartime remembrance, complemented beautifully by the wafting 40’s music of DJ’s ‘The Swinging Detectives’.
Claire and Nigel offered tours of the Tower, including the roof terrace with its woodland views, the Signal Room and the former meteorological office. The lawns played host to a scattering of deck chairs, the perfect spot to enjoy one of the local ales sold on site.
The Nissen Hut was complemented by some bunting clad gazebos to shelter the stall holders and a vintage makeup artist was on hand in ‘The Hairaid Shelter’ to transform you into a 1940’s starlet. The combination of venue and vendors made it a very special event that they’re hoping to repeat again next year. If, like us, you can’t wait that long, contact Claire and Nigel and book your visit to the Control Tower… Or if you’d like to experience the Vintage Lover Fair in another unique venue, make sure you visit them at Heyden, a fascinating and quintessentially British village.
You can book a stay direct with Control Tower or via their Sawdays page.
