Paul Martin of BBC’s ‘Flog it’ fame will turn on Marlborough’s Christmas lights on Friday November 30 at 6.30pm. Paul, who lives near Devizes, is no stranger to Marlborough. He lived and worked in the town from 1995 to 2000 when he owned The Table Gallery in Kingsbury Street.
Paul told marlborough.news, “I’d like to thank the people of Marlborough for asking me to turn on the lights. These are the first lights I’ve been asked to turn on as I’m usually away filming.”
“I’ll have a lovely glow inside, going back to my roots and seeing familiar faces. The event will bring the spirit of Christmas alive.”
It will be a family affair. Paul will be accompanied by wife, Charlotte, son Dylan (10) and daughter Meredith (7). “We are looking forward to embracing the whole Christmas atmosphere.”
Paul will be signing copies of his new book, ‘My World of Antiques’ in The White Horse Bookshop during the afternoon of November 30. “This book truly is a passion project, it reflects my life in antiques and on ‘Flog it’. There are lots of contributions from much loved antiques experts too.”
He originally moved to Marlborough as he wanted to live somewhere that had a “sense of civic pride and a wonderful heritage.” It was while he was working in The Table Gallery, which specialised in seventeenth and eighteenth English and Welsh oak furniture and Victorian lavatories that he was discovered by a team from BBC Bristol and was offered the chance to present ‘Flog it’. ‘
‘Flog it’ has now been superseded by Paul’s new show, ‘Make me a Dealer’. The show, which started on November 5, is doing well and is already in the top five ratings, averaging 1.7 to 1.9 million viewers.
Paul will start to film another new show, ‘Curiosity’ in January. He describes the show as a cross between ‘The Crystal Maze’ and an antiques show. It has been devised by Paul and his wife, Charlotte.
Turning on the Christmas lights is just one of several engagements Paul is participating in over the festive season. He is performing Christmas readings in the church in Devizes and has another book signing at the Whitehall Garden Centre.
However, he believes, “Christmas is an important time to reflect, to spend time with the family, giving and sharing. A time for all those wholesome things in life like preparing food and bringing friends and relatives together.”
At Marlborough’s Christmas Lights Event on Friday November 30 there will be live performances on the main stage from 5pm as well as the Citizen of the Year presentation, festive food, drink, gifts, crafts, stalls.
For children there will be funfair rides from 5pm and Father Christmas will be in the Town Hall grotto from 3pm to 5pm. Bookings can be made in advance at www.rotarysanta2018.eventbrite.co.uk