Burnham Market art gallery closes down

Richard Parr

A long-established Norfolk art gallery, which became known for its early morning queues on the first day of its summer Jeremy Barlow exhibitions , has closed down.

The Ringstead Gallery in Burnham Market was originally established by Don and Margaret Greer at Ringstead in 1974 and while based in the village its summer Barlow exhibitions attracted tremendous interest. People eager to buy their favourite picture by the North Norfolk artist queued up from the early hours on the first day of the show. Some Barlow work lovers even arrived by helicopter.

The Gallery moved to its new location in the centre of Burnham Market a couple of years ago and the Barlow exhibitions continued to be held there in August.

For the past two-and-a-half years the gallery has been run by the Greer's youngest son, 29-year-old Nick, but he has now decided to pursue other interests in the south of England. Mr Greer and Nick will be at the gallery until the end of this month . The property, including a two-bedroom flat and rear garden, is to be sold.

Mr Greer said closure of the gallery means the end of an era for the Greer family.

Mr Greer said Nick had done a good job in managing the gallery and he stressed the business was not closing because of the recession.

“Over the years we have been in business we have got to know both our exhibiting artists and our visitors and some of them have become friends. We thank everyone who has supported us over the past 35 years,” said Mr Greer.

At one time Don and Margaret Greer also owned the Ringstead village pub, The Gintrap. But they decided to sell the business and their home and re-locate to the Isle of Skye where they now run an up-market bed and breakfast business at Peinmore House at Portree.

One of the gallery's regular exhibiting artists, Lawrie Williamson, will in future show his work at the Fairfax Gallery in the village.