Trading on Markets

If you are interested in trading on any of our markets, please read the details below.

All traders, including those under the Try a Trade Scheme, must:

• Be aged 16 or over
• Have a National Insurance number
• Have current Public Liability Insurance with a minimum of £5 million cover
• Read and comply with the Retail Market Regulations Loughborough 2021 (PDF Document, 0.43 Mb)

If you are intending to sell food and drink you also need to:

• Be registered with a local authority as a food business
• Have a Food Hygiene Rating sticker of three or above or be awaiting an inspection
• Read and comply with standard food and drink hygiene practices

If you need to bring any essential electrical equipment on to the market, all appliances must be regularly PAT tested. We will need to see proof of a PAT test if items under 12 months old.

All new traders must complete our online application form below.

Once approved any pitches must be booked online. Therefore, you need an email address, a form of electronic payment e.g. a debit or credit card and agree to our booking Terms and Conditions.

If you wish to apply to be a street trader or run a town centre activity, please visit our street traders and consent web page.

Charnwood Borough Council has three types of trader:

Casual 

Anyone wishing to trade on any of our markets for the first time, will be treated as a casual trader. 

Once you are approved to trade on a market/markets, you will be able to book a pitch/pitches only on the markets that you have been approved for on a first come first serve basis.

The Markets Team retain the right to have the absolute discretion as to the location within the market of any pitch/pitches booked.

All casual traders must book before 4pm the day before trading.

Apply to become a trader

Regular

Once you have been trading regularly on the Thursday and Saturday Loughborough Retail markets as a casual trader for six months you can request to become a Regular trader on these markets only. As part of your request and any subsequent approval you will be making a firm commitment to keep attending the market each week as agreed. Attendance will be actively monitored by the Markets Team.

The advantages of becoming a Regular trader are that the weekly pitch charge is discounted, and you have a guaranteed pitch/pitches location within the market. Although, the Markets Team do retain the absolute right to have discretion as to the location within the market of any pitch/pitches booked.

We operate a waiting list and approving a move from a Casual trader to a Regular trader is at the Markets Team’s discretion.

Full details can be found in the Market Regulations.

FREE Saturday Market Charity Stall

Please note the charity stall is only available on our Saturday market. At the present time it is not available on the Thursday Market. One person can book up-to and including four times a year as long as it is for a different charity on each booking.

Please email markets@charnwood.gov.uk for further information.

Loughborough Retail Markets

From April 1, 2024 summer pitch prices start from just £29.18 per standard pitch (including small trailers up to 10 feet) and £58.36 for larger trailers up to 20 feet. Winter standard pitches are £30 (excluding trailers). Both include a £1 site site cleansing fee.

There is a small supplementary service charge per day of £3.39 for electric for one item and £9.38 for multiple items and cleansing charges (grocers only) of £2.81 per pitch booked). There is very limited parking available at our Market Yard with a charge of £7.

There is also a cleansing charge for all traders of £1 added to your booking.

Vintage and Collectors and Farmers' and Craft Markets

Pitch prices start from just £17.71 per standard pitch (including small trailers up to 10 feet) and £35.42 for larger trailers up to 20 feet. This includes a £1 site site cleansing fee. 

There is a small supplementary service charge of £3.39 for electric for one item and £9.38 for multiple items. There is very limited parking available at our Market Yard with a charge of £7.

We are actively looking to expand these markets and would welcome new traders and look forward to receiving your application.

Shepshed Retail Market

Pitch prices start from just £13.55 per standard pitch (including small trailers up to 10 feet) and £27.10 for larger trailers up to 20 feet. 

There is a small supplementary service charge of £3.39 for electric for one item and £9.38 for multiple items.

General information for all Markets

You can start setting up from 5am on the market day.

Standard stalls and gazebos supplied by the Council have a total pitch size of approximately 10 feet x 10 feet and come ready assembled.  Stalls have a board and canopy and gazebos have two tables. Winter lighting is also supplied.

Additional tables available at £3.13 per table (6ft).

Any payments taken on the day will include an admin fee of £3.15.

You can bring your own infrastructure. However, this must be approved first as part of the application process.  For those who are not bringing their own infrastructure, the stalls/gazebos will be already assembled with boards and a cover (weather permitting).

We do advise stallholders to bring along additional sheets and clips for added protection as these are not included.

There are some pitches that offer electric power but as these are limited you need to be approved to be allocated one, this will be done as part of the application process.

Occasionally we may need to cancel a market at short notice due to adverse weather conditions. You will be notified by text message.

Please read our Terms and Conditions for more details.

Loughborough Market additional information

When the market is operating there is no vehicle movement allowed between 10am and 4pm due to a Leicestershire County Council Traffic Regulation Order.  All trading must cease by 5.30pm and all traders must have left the Market Site by 6.30pm.

There is limited car parking available within the Market Site, however there are various car parks within easy reach of the town centre and you can obtain parking permits.

Market traders’ newsletter

We produce a regular e-newsletter for market traders to keep you up to date with what’s happening in the town centre and other news.

If you are a current market trader, sign up to our market traders’ e-newsletter by emailing markets@charnwood.gov.uk.

You can also follow Loughborough Market on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date with what's happening on the markets.