AN events company known for vibrant vintage fairs is expanding across the region.

Now And Then Events, which holds York’s popular York Does Vintage fair, has recently held its first event outside York, Harrogate Does Vintage, which attracted 1,000 visitors.

The business now hopes to launch a new event, called Yorkshire Best, to showcase home grown and homemade Yorkshire produce, as well as expanding its vintage fairs into Hull and launching a regional vintage magazine.

Samantha de la Tour set up the company with business partner Alex Claydon in May 2011 after they discovered they had independently organised separate events on the same day.

Rather than work in competition, they combined ideas, marketing strategies and budgets.

York Does Vintage was shortlisted for Best Shopping Experience 2012 at the Visit York Tourism Awards and now Samantha is hoping their efforts will be recognised at The Press Business Awards 2012, entering Tourism And Hospitality Business Of The Year and nominating Alex, who is 24 years old, for Young Entrepreneur Of The Year.

Samantha said: “Like many graduates, Alex was struggling to secure employment after graduating, mainly due to lack of relevant experience in her chosen field, so rather than taking a temporary job in retail Alex, highly motivated and focused, set about making her own experience in events and marketing.

“The event now witnesses over 2,000 customers per event, in comparison to 700 customers in March 2011, exceeding long established national vintage fairs around the whole of the UK. “York Does Vintage is not just your average vintage fair. The event aims to provide our customers with a vibrant, lively and fun shopping experience and reason to stay within the venue where they can enjoy the other aspects of the event that enhance and compliment the overall shopping experience.”