MOST vintage-lovers might think Brighton is where it’s at, but Emma Yeomans discovers that Lewes could be catching up fast

WITH more than 15 vintage and antique shops packed into its historic streets, Lewes is becoming a top destination for fans of vintage and retro.

From large, rambling flea markets and multi-storey antique centres, to small, trendy vintage boutiques, visitors are almost guaranteed to find unique treasures.

David Clark, of W.E Clark and Sons Jewellers, is the president of Lewes Chamber of Commerce, and has seen the growth in Lewes’s antique and vintage market.

He said: “There’s quite a hub of activity, particularly along Cliffe High Street, and it’s absolutely a growing business.

“We find we’re trading more in restored, pre-owned and vintage watches now, and there’s a big call for that.”

Chloe Shearing runs antique home-ware and fashion shop Closet and Botts with her friend Harriet Maxwell.

Sometimes keeping up with the demand for vintage clothes in the town is a struggle for the pair.

She said: “The clothes are a major sell, so it’s something we try to keep a really good stock of. But it’s a real battle to keep up with demand, and it’s harder to find high quality clothing than some other things we sell.”

Lewes’s vintage scene isn’t just popular with collectors though. Art and fashion student Freya Danes, 19, pictured inset, and right, loves hunting for beautiful bargains around the town.

She said: “You have to know where to look and you never know what you’ll find, but even in charity shops you find high quality items more often than you expect.”

Visitors and residents can even cool off with an ice-cream from retro-themed ice-cream company Vintage Scoops.

Based in the nearby village of Barcombe, their 1950s style van Betty is normally hired out for weddings and parties, but will be in Lewes town centre this summer.

Owner Victoria McMullen said: “We always get such a lovely reception when we’re down in Lewes. It has a definite alternative scene going on.”