Auction house Bonams closes its office in Chester

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Bonhams set to downsize Chester auction operation


Famous auction and valuation house Bonhams is reviewing its operation in Chester which could see staffing numbers dramatically reduce and an end to sales.

The site near to the city centre, the company's only remaining auction house in the north, employs more than 25 staff but Insider understands this is set to fall to about five.

A spokesman for Bonhams confirmed to Insider a consultation with employees in Chester had been launched but was unable to provide any further details at this stage.

The Chester showroom is set to close at an, as yet, undetermined date and will operate solely as a sourcing and valuation office in the future.

The company is currently consulting with all the staff at the site with the majority facing redundancy, Insider understands.

A small handful of employees are expected to be kept on to run a scaled-down office which is due to be relocated from its current premises to a smaller building, with a few staff possibly relocating to other bases around the UK.

Bonhams, which was founded in 1793 , also has regional valuation offices in Carlisle, Manchester and Southport.

Sources have told Insider it is also consulting with the small amount of staff at the Southport site which will be closed by the end of the year.

Its UK auction houses are in Edinburgh, Oxford and two in London.

The company has previously closed its other northern auction sites in Leeds and its base in Knowle in the West Midlands.

It is believed Bonhams is scaling down its northern operations to concentrate on the upper end of the antiques and fine art market which is catered for by the London, Oxford and Edinburgh sites.
Source:
November 21, 2013 will be the last auction in Chester.
http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/21133/