Markets

Licensing temporary market events

If you are a market operator planning or already operating a temporary market, event or festival which includes five or more stalls, retail units or fee charging outlets, you will need to apply for a Market Rights Licence.

What is a Market Rights Licence?

Market rights are used to manage markets and fairs and avoid too many markets being situated within a limited location. Market types may include:

  • car boot and tablet top sales selling used items
  • charity events
  • food and drink festivals
  • music festivals where there is food and drink for sale
  • traditional general retail markets selling new items
  • specialist markets such as farmers markets, exhibitions and Christmas markets
  • permanent markets which want to include a one off attraction, such as a large ride

Even if you have permission from land or premises owners and planning consent, you must have a Market Rights Licence. Without this, the market or fair cannot take place. Any market that takes place without a licence is in breach of the law and will be subject to legal action.

How to apply

To apply for a Market Rights Licence, please complete and post our application form.

Before you start

Before you complete the form, you will need the following to hand:

  • business details including registered address
  • venue information
  • health and safety plans including layouts and risk assessments, where needed
  • insurance documents

Read our privacy notice which tells you how we use your data.

Download and complete the paper form and return to:

Liverpool Markets
Liverpool City Council Office
Liverpool Food Hub
Electric Avenue
Liverpool
L11 0EN

If you have any questions before you apply, please call 07753 431 268.

What happens next?

If your application is successful, a licence will be issued on payment of the relevant fee. The licence will detail the responsibilities of both the operator and Liverpool Markets.

Fees

Each individual event will be judged on its own particular merits, but will be broadly based on the following charging arrangements. There will be no charge for a registered charity event, but an application must still be submitted.

Charging arrangements - reviewed annually
No. of stalls Single market day Discounted amount per market day (up to 12 per year) Discounted amount per market day (more than 12 per year)
Less than 15 £50 £30 £20
15-24 £100 £75 £50
25-34 £150 £120 £100
35-44 £200 £150 £125
45-54 £250 £200 £150
55-100 £500 £400 £300
Over 100 £700 £500 £400