You need a licence to become a market or street trader.
This page provides information about licences for the markets at Market Square and All Saint's Garden, as well as for street traders.
Apply
Please send completed application forms to City Centre Management at Cambridge City Council, PO Box 700, Cambridge CB1 0JH.
Market trading
A stall at Market Square for Monday–Saturday costs £14.94–£33.33 per day, depending on location and date. Availability is on a week-to-week basis and you will first need to complete a market stall licence application form.
Stalls come with one power point, a five amp fuse, stall framework and top sheet, market boards (as and when available), supporting bars (returnable £25 deposit required), cardboard recycling and refuse facility, and washroom facility.
Stalls at the Sunday market cost £25.57 per day. As well as completing a market stall licence application, you must also design or make craft items you sell, and local produce must be from within 60 miles of Cambridge.
We are working to set up an online payment system for the licences; in the meantime please contact the customer service centre to make your payment.
General market layout
The image below shows the layout of the stalls in Market Square, and the three price bands.
- A: Upper price band
- B: Middle price band
- C: Lower price band
Vehicle access
There is no provision for parking for market traders.
Unloading times are from 8am–10am, and your vehicle must be removed after unloading.
Vehicle loading is permitted after 4pm.
All Saint's Garden market
To apply for a stall at the craft market in All Saint's Garden you will need to fill in a form from this page, but for all other information cambridge-art-craft.co.uk.
Stalls cost £28.77 per day.
Street trading
There are 28 street-trading pitches around the city centre, including Market Street, Sidney Street, Quayside and Silver Street.
Trading in the consent zone without a licence is deemed to be illegal street trading. You are exempt from this if you hold a valid peddler's licence (see below) and follow the peddlers legislation.
Our policy is to oppose all forms of street trading other than from approved areas where highway safety will not be impaired.
Other licences
Peddler's licence
Peddlers must be mobile between transactions and can only be in the same position during a transaction, unlike licensed street traders who can can stay in the same place between sales.
Peddlers are not permitted to trade unless they have a peddler's licence issued by the police. Once they have a licence, peddlers can trade throughout the country using the same licence.
If you require a peddler's licence please contact Cambridgeshire Police on 0345 456 456 4.
Table and chairs licence
You need a licence to place tables and chairs on a public highway, whether it is on a street, pavement or pedestrian area.
A licence costs £315.
Any unlicensed use of the highway for tables and chairs is an obstruction and may be dealt with by the police.
Contact the City Centre Management team for more information, using the contact details at the bottom of the page.
Big Issue sellers
There are 12 Big Issue pitches in the city centre.
For further information, including how to apply for one of these pitches, visit the Wintercomfort website or contact Overstream House on 01223 519424.
Contact
For more information about any of the topics mentioned on this page, or to report illegal street trading, please email the City Centre Management team at citycentremanagement@cambridge.gov.uk or telephone 01223 457000.
The postal address is City Centre Management, PO Box 700, Cambridge CB1 0JH.
