THE HISTORY OF
SKIPTON AUCTION MART
1990
Opening in the summer of 1990, Skipton Auction Mart cost £3 million to build and the work involved removing around 100,000 tons of earth and bringing in 100,000 tons of stone and 16,000 tons of concrete. As well as a cornerstone of the agriculture industry, Skipton Auction Mart is now home to art fairs, theatre shows, flea markets, Christmas crafts markets and a yarn festival!
2005
The Mart Theatre opened at Skipton Auction Mart in 2005 and is home to theatre, stand up comedy, musicals and pantomime. The theatre space is located in the main auction ring and can be converted between an auctioneers room and theatre space. For the latest shows, visit www.themarttheatre.org.uk
Also in 2005, Art in the Pen opened its doors for the first time. Art in the Pen started out as a relatively small number of artists transforming cattle pens into galleries to sell their original work. Today, Art in the Pen has flourished into a sprawling event, with an abundance of creativity and craftsmanship at every turn. For more details, visit www.artinthepen.org.uk
2013
Yarndale became "the next big thing" for Skipton Auction Mart when it debuted its first yarn festival in 2013. This huge event welcomes yarn enthusiasts from all over the UK as well as abroad. During the weekend, 8,000 visitors flock to Skipton Auction Mart to enjoy the festival. For more details, visit www.yarndale.co.uk
2015
Our festive crafts market opened in 2015 and has quickly become a Christmas tradition for lots of families, with 5,900 visitors joining us for our fifth event last year. Crafts in the Pen is home to 230 high quality craft stalls, a starlight cafe for the grown ups and a free Santa's grotto for the kids. Find out more at www.craftsinthepen.org.uk
2020
Skipton Auction Mart is now available to hire as an event venue. If you run an event or are in the process of creating one, and would like to consider Skipton Auction Mart, please get in touch with us so we can answer any of your queries and arrange a site visit. Your event could be right at home in the heart of Yorkshire!