Why you should become a street trader

With its low start-up and running costs, street trading is a great way to start your own business.

Many thriving businesses started as market stalls; from familiar high street names such as Marks & Spencer, Poundland, and Tesco to fashion brands such as Dunelm and Super Dry as well as snack companies like Innocent drinks. Markets are exciting and vibrant places, even if you just want to work for yourself and are not yet ready to start a retail empire.

Different private markets have different arrangements for renting their pitches and stalls to traders including written contracts and informal, daily, arrangements.

The Council licences traders under the London Local Authorities Act 1990 (as amended) and our traders enjoy certain legal protections. Unlike commercial operators, we cannot use fees and charges from our traders to generate a profit and must set the fees based on the cost of providing the service. This is why trading on Council run markets is often much cheaper than trading on private markets.

Our market’s team currently licenses trading on:

• our eight street markets
• our fifty miscellaneous sites and kiosks (these are usually on busy streets or outside tube stations and are often florists or newsagents)
• forecourts (this is trading on private land where the customer is on the street whilst being served, often this is where a shop owns some pavement and is renting it to another businesses or where the shop owner is selling something different to the business of their shop)

We also grant licences for special events that involve street trading.

Consent to put tables and chairs on the street is dealt with by our Customer Service Team.

Getting training and obtaining loans

If you are resident in London you might qualify for Start Up Step Up London, a programme designed to help Londoners access entrepreneurship and improve their enterprise skills.

You can find out more information about becoming a street trader, and accessing low-cost funding to help you start your business, at the following places:

• National Careers Service
• National Market Traders Federation
• Start Up Loans UK

Equipment suppliers

There are many places to buy market equipment but the following links are a good place to start:

Market equipment and stalls

• Apex Market Stalls
• Shopfittings
• Tarapflex
• Trader Supplies

Electrical adapters

• City Electrical Factors
• Screwfix
• Toolstation

Find storage space

Some of our markets are close to housing estates that have vacant garages.

For information about who can rent garages and costs, please see our Apply for a garage page. Applications are handled by our Estate Management Team.

If you are applying for a garage, please use the lookup function to find your address, if you manually enter your address; the form will fail and your application will be lost:

Apply for a garage on a housing estate

Before you start your application

To hold a licence you must be 17 years of age or older.

Insurance cover

Having the correct insurance ensures that, in the event of an accident, you, your workers, customers, and other members of the public are covered.

You must have public liability insurance covering a minimum of £5 million throughout the licensed period before you start trading.

If you are employing someone to work for you, you must also have Employers Liability Insurance.

This insurance should cost under £150 per annum and is included in the membership fee of the National Market Traders Federation or can be obtained through an insurance broker.

Additional requirements to sell food

To sell food you need to register with us as a food business. It is free to register, and your registration cannot be refused. You should register at least 28 days before trading. If you are preparing, cooking, or storing food at another location this must also be registered with the local authority where it is located.

Traders that hold a licence for market areas, where there is a flexible licence fee, please review your permanent street trading licence(s) and confirm that you wish to remain licensed for the days, times, and commodities prescribed on your licence.  

Please submit partial surrender, surrender or variation requests as soon as possible so that you are charged the correct amount for trading.

If you wish to trade or continue trading you must submit a request for a temporary licence to the street trading team in writing in advance (at least 48 hours during working hours and office days) to the marketsteam@camden.gov.uk providing details of:

• the market or street trading location you wish to trade at
• goods that you would like to offer for sale
• days on which you would like to trade
• Covid-19 Risk Assessment

Note: Please ensure your Employers/Public Insurance Liability certificate, Food hygiene Level 2 certificate, Gas certificate, Pat test are valid to prevent delays.

If you wish to add registered assistants, vary your commodities or add additional pitch, the full fees will apply.

Parking:

Parking Permits can only be issued to vehicles registered in the name of the Licensee and will be withdrawn if:

• the licence holder does not trade for a period of four weeks or more
• the vehicle has unpaid parking fines 
• the vehicle and/or users causes complaints from residents 

Market traders: parking in a designated market trader bays. Each bay has a sign that is abbreviated with MKT or T for Market Traders.

Visit Trade permits (formerly parking permissions) to apply for a parking permit (builders, traders and other service providers engaged in work for a local resident or business who require on-street parking for their vehicle are eligible to apply).

If you have any further inquires about parking permits please call the Contact Centre: 020 7974 4444.

Debts: 
 
Some permanent traders have outstanding debts on their account for 2019/20. Although no action was taken to request the settlement of this debt, we will be writing to those traders to ensure that the debt is settled before we raise the invoices. 

Please note that arrears on your account will be grounds to propose not to renew your licence in 2022. 
          
Credit:

Some permanent traders have outstanding debts on their account for 2019/20. This will be offset against the invoice we will raise in November 2021.

For those of our traders who are unable to trade, information about support is updated on our dedicated webpage.

Market Licensees/miscellaneous sites kiosk (not trading since April 2020):  

Permanent licence holders that are not currently trading, please review your current licence allocation and make contact with the markets team to amend your licence. The option to vary licences by reducing days is only available for traders operating in markets with a daily charge tariff.

Market Licensees/miscellaneous sites kiosk (currently trading):

Few traders have been trialling other markets, for instance Queens Crescent on Thursday and Saturday. Please review your permanent street trading licence to either vary your licence to reduce days and/or to apply to trade at other Markets. You will need to submit a formal application and your request will be considered.

Undesignated miscellaneous sites and traders 6 months on temporary licences:

Traders trading on a temporary street trading licence will be charged the temporary licence fee applicable to their commodity. 

Red Telephone kiosk: 

If you are using the telephone box only the fee of £18.42 and if you are using the telephone box and an additional space the daily charge will be £25.50.

Forecourt street trading charges: 

Normal fees will apply.

Note: the above applies for all new applicants wishing to trade on our markets. If you decide not to trade once the temporary street licence has been issued, you can surrender the licence but the fee will be non-transferable and non-refundable. Any request for refund will be dealt on its merit.

If you break the rules:

The Police can take action against you if you meet in larger groups. This includes breaking up illegal gatherings and issuing fines (fixed penalty notices).

You can be given a Fixed Penalty Notice of £200 for the first offence, doubling for further offences up to a maximum of £6,400. If you hold, or are involved in holding, an illegal gathering of over 30 people, the police can issue fines of £10,000.

Note: This above advice is subject to change if Government advice is amended. You will be notified of any future change.

Apply to trade on a street market

All our markets are different in character and style so before you apply, visit Camden’s Street Markets for more information about each market to help choose the best location for your business.  

How to apply for a market stall

All New traders must first apply for a Temporary Registration Card to be able to request a market stall and receive a Temporary Licence for the day(s) and market(s) of their choice.

Note: Current Temporary Registration Cards will be valid up to 31 March 2025. Traders will be invited to renew close to the expire of this card.

Note: Please use the below application link if you wish to make a New Application or renew your current Temporary Registration Card.

To apply, you must have copies of the following documents in the required format available to upload on the device you are using to complete the application:

• Valid passport
• A recent passport photograph
• Proof of National Insurance Number (e.g., photo of National Insurance card)
• Proof of current address dated within the past 3 months. We accept any of the following:
  • Utility bill (gas, electricity, water or landline telephone)
  • Council tax bill
  • Bank/ Building Society statement

Documents must be in electronic format so they can be uploaded on the form. These are: gif, jpeg, png, pdf, bmp, or docx files. You will not be able to complete the application without providing all of the required documents.

Note: At the end of your application you will be asked to pay a non-refundable administration fee of £61.60.

New Application/Renewal (Temp Reg and Temp Reg Renew)

If you would like to employ or register an assistant(s), please fill in the online form below. Note: We accept one form per assistant. The application fee per assistant is £20.40.

New Assistant application

New Temporary Traders

After your Temporary Registration Card application has been approved you will receive an email containing your Temporary Registration Card and Temporary Registered Trader Display Card.  

Once you have received these items you will be able to apply for a Temporary Licence to trade on a pre-booked pitch, using the online payment form below.

You must provide copies of all required documentation to the Markets Team prior to applying for a pitch for the first time or on expiry of any of these documents. These are:

• A copy of your Public liability insurance policy (£5 million minimum) 

Additional if employing assistants:

• A copy of your Employers Liability Insurance

Additional for food traders only:

• Accredited food hygiene certificate (level 2) (including assistants)
• Proof that your business is registered with a local authority 
• Evidence of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)
• A valid PAT and/or Gas safety certificates for your apparatus 

Booking a trading pitch

All pitches must be requested and paid for in advance, no later than 4pm of the working day (i.e. weekdays) the day before you wish to trade. This is done via our online payment system.

Note: Traders must calculate the fees payable for the market/ days requested using our Trading fees and charges information. This must be paid in full when submitting the request.

Note: There is no guarantee you will get the market or pitch requested, as pitches are allocated in priority order.

Please include the market and days you wish to trade in the ‘Message Box’ field.

Make an online payment and book a pitch 

Once a pitch has been booked, receipt for payment and confirmation of booking will be emailed to you.

Note: You must have a copy of the email confirmation on the day of trading along with the Temporary Registered Trader Display Card. A valid insurance certificate must also be available to view.

If you decide not to trade once your trading documents have been issued, you can surrender your licence, but the pitch trading fee will be non-transferable and non-refundable.

Apply for a Kiosk, Ice cream and Isolated sites licence

Six-monthly temporary licences for kiosks, ice cream sites or isolated site pitches are subject to availability and will be advertised on our web site when there are vacancies. Licences will be issued following an interview process.

Temporary Licences issued for six-monthly periods will include the pitch location and commodities that can be sold. Trading fees are payable a month in advance of trade.

To apply, you must have copies of the following documents (for the applicant) before you start completing the form:

• Valid passport
• A recent passport photograph
• Proof of National Insurance Number (e.g., photo of National Insurance card)
• Proof of current address dated within the past 3 months. We accept any of the following:
  • Utility bill (gas, electricity, water or landline telephone)
  • Council tax bill
  • Bank/ Building Society statement

Documents must be in electronic format so they can be uploaded on the form. These are: gif, jpeg, png, pdf, bmp, or docx files. 

You will not be able to complete the application without providing all of the required documents.

Note: At the end of your application you will be asked to pay a non-refundable administration fee of £61.60.

Kiosk/Isolated pitch Application (including ice cream sites)

Before you start trading you will need to supply:

• A copy of your Public liability insurance policy (£5 million minimum) 
  • This can be submitted if you are successful and offered a licence
• Pictures of your stall set up ready to trade

Additional if employing assistants:

• A copy of your Employers Liability Insurance

Additional for food traders only:

• Accredited food hygiene certificate (level 2) (including assistants)
• Proof that your business is registered with a local authority 
• Evidence of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) 

Apply for a kiosk/Isolated pitch licence

Apply to sell Christmas trees

Trading sites available for 2022 (to be confirmed):

• Fortune Green Cemetry/Queens C
• Camden Road (Junction of Royal College Street)
• West End Lane (by St. James’ church)
• Hampstead Cemetery
• Chalk Farm Road
• Whitestone Pond
• Queen's Crescent market
• Inverness Street market
• Plender Street
• Eton Avenue (Swiss Cottage Market)
• Chalton Street market
• Leather Lane market
• Earlham Street Market
• Goodge Place Market

Pitch dimensions: 4m x 2m

Please submit your application to: marketapplications@camden.gov.uk.

Fees applicable:

• Markets: £23.46 daily pitch rate
• Queens Crescent and Chalton Street markets: £10.20 per pitch per day and £6.12 per additional pitch
• Miscellaneous sites and out of market sites £25.50 daily pitch rate 

Please note: there is a non-refundable application fee of £61.60 and an additional fee of £20.40 per registered assistant.

Charity and community stalls

Camden welcomes charities and volunteers to join any market for free. There are no fees if you are not offering something for sale. Fees are negotiable/not applicable for groups selling to fund activity or promote activity. Apply for a charity or community stall.

You will be required to provide a copy of your Public Liability insurance. This insurance should cost under £150 per annum and is included in the membership fee of the National Market Traders Federation or can be obtained through an insurance broker.

License a forecourt

This is trading on private land where the customer is on the street whilst being served, often this is where a shop owns some pavement and is renting it to another businesses or where the shop owner is running a business distinct from their shop on their own forecourt.

For more information and help on the Renewal process, please refer to the Renewals Guide 2022. 

The name and contact details of the data controller:
London Borough of Camden
Judd Street
London
WC1H 9JE
020 7974 4444, 

The name and contact details of the Data Protection Officer:
Andrew Maughan, Borough Solicitor
dpo@camden.gov.uk

Purpose for processing your data:
The London Borough of Camden Markets Team is responsible for managing the Council-run street markets, which includes issuing of licences to street market traders. We will collect your personal data to process permanent, temporary and assistant licence applications/ renewals and, if required, applications for variation of licence and/ or licence succession. 

Legal basis for processing:
We may process personal and special category data necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest and in exercise of official authority vested in the controller. Our legal basis for processing is defined under Article 6(1)(e) Public task and Article 9(2)(g) Public interest of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).  

Categories of Personal Data
The categories of personal data we will process are:

Name, address, date of birth, contact telephone and email, details of licensee (you) and your assistant/s (if applicable), National Insurance and identity document numbers, Public Liability Insurance and required certification details

• If applying for succession or mutual transfer, the name, address and contact telephone and email details of the nominated person. 

Categories of recipients the council has or will disclose the data to
The Council does not intend to disclose the data to any other third parties. However, we undertake general data matching or data sharing in certain areas for the prevention or detection of crime. 

We will not transfer your personal data outside the EU/EEA.

How long will we keep your information?
We will keep your personal data up to seven years in line with the council’s retention schedule.

Your data subject rights
You have the right to request a copy of the information we hold about you, the right to ask us to rectify, erase or restrict processing of your data, the right to ask for data portability, the right to object to automated decision making, and if we are relying on consent the right to withdraw consent at any time.  There are some exemptions to these rights.  Please see the below websites for more information:

• London Borough of Camden 
• Information Commissioner’s Office
• To exercise these rights please use our web form

The right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority
You can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you are unhappy with how the Council has handled your personal data. It would be helpful if you contacted us first at dpa@camden.gov.uk to see if we can resolve the problem. You can contact the ICO at casework@ico.org.uk / phone 0303 123 1113, or post to Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.

Giving personal data is a statutory requirement 
We are unable to process applications and issue licences without the applicant providing personal data. 

Automated decision making or profiling
We are not using automated decision making or profiling to process your personal data.