Anniversary brings Ian back to where it all began

Travelling by plane, car, train, tube and taxi, the tour took him to three countries and 20 English counties where he met with more than 100 staff members.

He opened his first gallery in Bards Walk, in Stratford town centre, in 1995, aged 27.

Since its launch, Castle Galleries has grown from one outlet to a nationwide network of galleries with avid collectors all over the world.

Ian said: “Before Castle Galleries opened, I felt there was nowhere that ordinary people could get access to great, affordable art. So I decided to open an art gallery that I personally would feel comfortable buying art from. I wanted to sell art for the masses, not for the classes.”

Ian said during the birthday party in Bards Walk: “It all started next door. My best friend Mark Thomas, of Mark Thomas Jewellers, said he had a unit I could sell paintings from for three months.

“I was struggling, as my previous business had unfortunately gone bust, but the gallery business just took off, which was great.”

Twenty years in the business sees Castle Galleries go from strength to strength as it looks to open its 35th store in The Mailbox, in Birmingham, later this year.

It also marks the beginning of the company’s rebrand to Castle Fine Art, which will see all its galleries refurbished and upgraded.