Morpeth Tea Pot and Tea Cosy exhibition will run for the last time from August 17 to 27, marking the end of an era in Maitland tourism.

Morpeth businessman Trevor Richards and his wife Shirley started the exhibition after they purchased and renovated Campbell’s Store, as a way of luring tourists to the then sleepy hamlet which in those days was not known as a tourist destination.

“It was certainly a novelty and over the years attracted widespread interest and later widespread competition entries in the tea cosy section,” said Kylie Richards.

“One of the entries in this year’s competition comes from Guernsey in the Channel Islands.”

Mr Richards has accumulated more than 100,000 tea pots retailing between $100 and $300 each, the most expensive, a limited edition art nouveau tea pot from the UK which retails for $1500.

“It’s sad this is finishing but we will come back with something bigger and better,” Ms Richards said.