ANTIQUES on High, a much-loved port of call for collectors over the past 20 years, could have closed for good without the help of Twitter.

In January, the 30 specialist dealers at the antiques emporium in Oxford were worried they would need to look for new business premises if no-one came forward to take over the lease.

Book dealer Tony Sloggett, the business owner, had run the centre, owned by University College, for the past 11 years but decided to retire aged 72 and trade online.

Then in July, dealers were relieved when a buyer from Bournemouth came forward and their future was secured.

Now the new director of Antiques on High has been revealed as Vincent Page.

Property investor Mr Page, 53, married to Lesley, said Antiques on High could have closed down if it had not been for the power of social media.

He said: "I got a tweet from the Antiques Trade Gazette about the opportunity and I though 'I like the sound of that'.

"I followed it up with a few phone calls and made progress from there.

"The lease with the college is for 10 years and I am delighted to be here.

"The dealers are very upbeat about their future - they have already seen their takings increase."

Mr Page said his investment in the business runs to thousands of pounds but he has never considered the move a financial risk.

"I know it sounds daft," he said, "but this really did go from a tweet to an investment.

"I phoned up the centre and left a message and then antiques dealer Caroline Henney phoned me back.

"I am now doing lots of advertising on social media and it is already starting to pay off.

"Customers are coming into the centre after seeing the adverts pop up on their phones."

Mr Page, who has introduced the sale of antique furniture since his arrival, said he had been 'humbled' by the number of people who have walked in to say how pleased they are the centre is staying.

He added: "Some of them have lived here all their lives and know Antiques on High is here while others have lived in the city for 30 years and still don't know we are here.

"I am now paying substantial amounts on social media to advertise the business which is a solid, stable business but we do need to drag it forward into the 21st century."

Mr Page said the cavernous centre, an Aladdin's cave of different types of antiques, was now being completely redecorated.

"We are going to keep the centre's Victorian rustic theme - the green frontage will stay because it stands out."

New antique dealers have already been attracted by the arrival of the new owner.

There are currently more than 30 but Mr Page said by Christmas there could be as many as 40.

Specialist dealers sell a wide variety of antiques including ceramics, jewellery, pictures, maps and prints, toys, silver and books, as well as local crafts.

"One of the new dealers has come from Belgium and he specialises in porcelain and fine china," said Mr Page.

"He also does church salvage and sells figurines that have come from churches - he joined us on Sunday.

"We are redecorating throughout and I have got dealers queuing up to move in."

Ms Henney, who sells antique costume jewellery, said she and other dealers were delighted Mr Page had taken over and added that he had 'many new ideas'.

She pointed out that 'as late as this summer dealers were afraid that it would all come to an end'.

Ms Henney said: "Antiques on High is the only antiques centre in the city and has a group of specialist independent traders all selling from the same shop.

"We currently have 10 artists and makers in our crafts section and 24 dealers covering the antiques, vintage and collectables categories.

"We have all manner and variety of goods, dating from Antiquity to the contemporary, with a wide price range from as little as a 50p postcard to over £1,0000 for a rare Chinese tomb figure."

She added that Mr Page's 'experience, drive and enthusiasm' was already having a positive effect on the business.

For the first time the centre is offering worldwide shipping for goods so that visitors coming to Oxford who buy antiques know they will arrive safely in their home country with minimal effort.

Mr Page's Welsh terrier Hugo - slightly antique himself at the age of 11 - has so far proved an asset when it comes to attracting customers.

"So far he has been as good as gold," explained the entrepreneur, whose grandfather exported beer to the United States in the 1800s.