A WEST Auckland antiques shop is to feature in an episode of the popular daytime television programme Antiques Road Trip next spring.
Antiques expert Steven Moore and a film crew arrived at Antiques On The Green, in the village, on Tuesday last week when the expert set about finding items to put up for auction.
The show, which airs on BBC One, pits two experts against each other over a five day period, during which they visit antique shops and fairs to each buy five items which are later auctioned off. The winner is determined by who makes the most profit from the sale.
In the episode being filmed last week, Mr Moore completes against Angus Ashworth.
The veteran ceramics expert, who also often appears on Antiques Roadshow, was helped in the shop by Rebecca Shoulder, who has worked there for about five years and learned the antiques trade from owner Alistair Donaldson. Although Mr Donaldson has appeared on the television show in the past, it was a debut for Miss Shoulder.
She only found out who she would be haggling with when the crew arrived.
The 19-year-old said: “They have never told us [in the past who will be coming]. It is always a surprise. It is a bit scary because I have never done it before.
“Filming usually takes three or four hours – there are lots of retakes.”
Although other experts and film crews have visited the shop, it was a first for Mr Moore and his team.
Crew director Jonathan Hales said: “It is lovely and it seems huge. You have got to come in to see the full glory of the shop.
“All the shops are different. We like to sample what is local to the area. We always hope to find ‘hidden sleepers’ – that item that people don’t know what it is.”
He marvelled at the upstairs showrooms of the shop as well as the “secret garden” and two outdoor units.
He added that the shop would feature in the last episode of a series of five and, with both experts neck-and-neck with their profits, any item bought at Antiques On The Green could be the deciding factor in which of the experts win.
Mr Moore said of the shop: “There is a lot to look at.”
Mr Hales said the episode filmed at Antiques On The Green will most likely be aired in February or March on a Friday.
