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Cambridge City Council

Apply for a market trading licence

You need a licence to run a market stall at any of the markets in the city centre.

We strongly recommend that you visit the market on the days you would like to trade before applying, and include as much detail as possible about your product or service in your application.

Market Square

The market is open for trading from 10am to 4pm every day except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

Applications should detail which days of the week you would like to trade. Successful applicants are allocated and licenced to a specific pitch on the same day or days every week.

Pitches are 8x6 feet. All pitches have a metal frame, canvas roof and two 16A sockets – traders must bring any boards, tables, cabling and IP55 weatherproof box and any other items you wish to use.

There is no parking at the market. Trader’s vehicles can be present to unload and set up stalls between 6.30 and 9.30am, and can return between 4 and 6pm after trading has finished. Vehicles cannot be on the market square outside of these times.

Fees

Pitches around the outside of the market and at the ends of rows are charged at the premium rate. All other pitches are charged at the standard rate.

All traders are invoiced one month in arrears. Payment is taken by direct debit.

  • Mondays and Tuesdays
    • Premium pitch: £21.70
    • Standard pitch: £10
  • Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays
    • Premium pitch: £21.70
    • Standard pitch: £18
  • Weekends
    • Premium pitch: £41.60
    • Standard pitch: £34.20
  • Additional fees
    • Hot-food surcharge: £7.70
    • Casual-trading surcharge: £5
  • Licence amendment: £30

Food businesses

To sell any type of food you must register as a food business at least 28 days before you begin trading. If an application is successful, it will be necessary to provide all relevant food-handling and hygiene certificates.

Traders who sell hot food must have flame-retardant sheeting that complies with BS7837. Further information will be supplied to successful applicants.

Casual trading

You must have a licence to run a stall at the market, if you have a licence you can apply to trade casually on any day that you are not licenced to do so.

We allow casual trading to licenced traders when space allows and allocate pitches on a first come, first served basis each week.

All Saints Garden

The art and craft market at All Saints Garden is open from 10am to 4pm every Saturday, as well as on occasional weekdays.

Traders at All Saints Garden make their own products and everything must be handmade – potential traders for All Saints Garden must demonstrate in their applications how their products are made.

There are no fixed pitches at the market, but stalls should not be more than 6 feet. The parking bays outside the market can be used to unload and load only. Traders must arrive before 9.30am.

Fees

All traders are invoiced one month in arrears. We encourage payment by direct debit.

  • Weekdays: £16.65
  • Saturdays: £35.25
  • Licence amendment: £30

Apply for a market trading licence

We encourage applications from traders who offer products that are not already offered on the markets. Follow our social media accounts to find out what is already on offer.

We strongly recommend that you visit the market on the days you would like to trade before applying. This will help you to become familiar with the layout of the market and what products are currently being sold on which days, as well as which pitches might be available and whether or not your product would work on those pitches on those days.

Please include as much detail as possible about your product or service in your application. The best applications we receive include a detailed description of the products or service offered, and photographs of the products and potential stall set up.

Send your application form to marketsapplications@cambridge.gov.uk.

All traders must be able to begin trading within 28 days of submitting their application. Proof of public liability insurance with coverage of at least £5 million will be necessary if an application is successful.

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Apply for a market trading licence

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