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Library Market Days

Library Market Days events help diverse local and small businesses to sell their goods and promote their products. The events help discover new customers through our libraries.

Stall holders pay £10 to attend. We provide the table, you bring your goods.

The table size is roughly 160cm x 70cm, but some table dimensions can vary.

View the upcoming market days.

How to apply

Library Market Day terms and conditions

By submitting the Booking Form you are agreeing to these terms and conditions. If you do not follow these conditions you will be asked to cease trading until the problem is rectified. If the problem is such that you are asked to cease trading altogether you will not be refunded your fee.

General

Stall holders must ensure they comply with all legal requirements relevant to their stall including all relevant food safety, trading standards and health and safety legislation.

Stall holders must display business contact details, including a permanent business address where possible.

Plymouth Libraries will provide a stall holder’s table, unless stated otherwise.

Stall holders are only permitted to sell within their allocated pitch site. All equipment must be contained within the stall’s footprint.

Smoking is prohibited inside any of our buildings or spaces.

Exhibitors are not permitted to sublet their stand.

Exhibitors are responsible for any damage caused by or through negligence to their event stand or location.

Stall holders are to display price lists and Stall holders are only permitted to sell items as detailed on the booking form. The Events Team on site are able to enforce this on site should it not be adhered to.

Whilst every effort will be made to meet the requirements of the Exhibitor, Plymouth City Council cannot guarantee a particular position within the event.

Please note that the organisers will not be held liable for any loss of income during the event.

You will be advised on your arrival and take-down times for the event. This allows sufficient set-up and closing of your stall during the allotted time.

Bookings and charges

Market table hire requests will be confirmed at the host library’s discretion.

Tables will be left in the same condition as they are found on arrival.  Any cleaning or repair due to misuse or damage of the room or equipment will be chargeable.

Where possible, Library Market Day sellers should offer both cash and card options to customers. However, this decision is up to the stall holder.
The use of a payment card reader within our libraries is the responsibility of the seller. We hold no responsibility for the loss of phone signal/data connection when inside any of our buildings. Free public library Wi-Fi is available, subject to technical outages, at all sites and will be provided to you as a back-up connection method.

Confirmation and payment

All successful stall holders will be contacted by email informing them they’ve been chosen to host a table. This email will contain a booking confirmation link which has a payment form attached.

Payment is required at time of booking confirmation by card, using the online payment form.

You may cancel a booking at any time, but if you cancel less than 14 days before the booking, no refund will be given.

Arrival and set up of stall

It is the stall holder’s responsibility to arrange your own parking off-site or arrange to offload your goods in a safe location. Library car parks are small and should not be used by stall holder’s vehicles for the entirety of the event, but can be used for the initial ‘drop off’.

Stall holders must not cause obstructions to pathways or road traffic while arriving and leaving the Market Day events with their goods and belongings.

Events promotion

Stall publicity is the responsibility of the exhibitor and any material intended for display or distribution must be in line with the Library Service’s Display Policy. Publicity must not be displayed within library buildings without permission.

Library Market Days will be publicised across library social media channels, on our websites, in our libraries, and with promotional materials and may not mention individual exhibitor/stall attendees.

Insurance, health and safety

All organisers and exhibitors hosting a market day table must report to library staff on arrival.

Hirers should hold valid public liability insurance for a minimum of £5,000,000.

If you have a lower amount of cover or none at all, you can still apply and we will assess your application to check for any possible risk of damage or injury, before making a decision

Every exhibitor is responsible for carrying out a risk assessment of their designated area to ensure that all potential risks are minimised (hazards should be identified and preventative/ protective measures implemented). A copy of this risk assessment will be available on the stall.

All entrances, gangways and emergency exits must be kept free from obstruction at all times.

The positioning of a pull-up promotional banner may be subject to change to ensure safety and fairness for all.

All visitors should note the location of the fire exit routes which are clearly marked.

If the fire alarm sounds, all present should leave the building as quickly as possible, using the nearest signed route, to meet at the appropriate assembly point.

Please let us know if you or anyone in your group has any additional requirements including needing assistance in exiting the building in the event of the fire alarm sounding.  When needed, a Personal Evacuation Plan (PEEPS) will be compiled to suit each individual’s needs.

The Library Service shall not be responsible for any loss or damage to any property or injury to any person arising out of the hiring. Users should arrange and pay for their own insurance.

All exhibitors are responsible for the insurance of their own property and goods brought on to the event site. Plymouth City Council accepts no liability for loss or damage incurred whilst exhibitors’ equipment is on site. You may wish to insure your property against damage.

Exhibitor documentation

All exhibitors must provide the following prior to the event. Until this has been received your booking will remain provisional.

  • booking form/online application
  • Copy of Public liability insurance (Please note, policy cover must be for £5million or over.)
  • food traders- Letter confirming local authority registration or copy of food hygiene rating sticker (where applicable)
  • completion of booking confirmation email/online form.  

All exhibitors will be required to have copies of the following documentation on their stall during the event:

  • up to date Public liability insurance (Please note, policy cover must be for £5million or over.)
  • risk assessment for their stall, items & belongings
  • CFOA Fire Risk Assessment (where applicable)
  • PAT testing certificates if the appliance is over a year old (where applicable)

Additionally for food traders:

  • Temporary Events Notice (TENS) licence (If selling alcohol)
  • gas safety certificates (If using gas at the event) – *The use of gas is not permitted in library buildings for any reason
  • food safety management system (safer food better business or equivalent)
  • food hygiene training certificates
  • copy food hygiene rating sticker
  • organic certificate (if required)
  • Food origin information
  • Allergen information

Equipment hire

Any equipment hired from Plymouth City Council must be returned in the condition it was given and signed in/out. Any loss or failure to sign it back in will result in a loss charge being raised to you after the event.

Provision of food and drink

Alcohol sales

No exhibitor may sell alcohol without first obtaining a Premises Licence (TENS) from Plymouth City Council, Licensing team. Information is available on the temporary event notice page.

Food safety

Food and drink is to be stored, prepared and served in compliance with all current statutory and regulatory requirements.

All food stalls must be registered with the Local Authority. Please provide proof of this before the event.

You must hold a food hygiene rating of 3 – 5 at the time of the event. Confirmation of this should be appended to the application form. If you have not yet been given a rating by your local authority you must submit your registration letter and should you be inspected and receive a rating of less than the 3 - 5 requirement your booking will not be confirmed but may still be charged (depending on whether cancellation date has passed).

You will have a documented Food Safety Management system in place. This will be available on the stall for inspection.

All persons working on the food stalls must have food handler training or be supervised with someone who has a valid food hygiene certificate must be presented before the event.

Ensure all food is kept at a temperature to prevent the growth of food poisoning bacteria. All high-risk food must be at or below 8°C, or if to be served hot at or above 63°C.

Antiseptic wipes will only be acceptable if there is no direct food handling e.g. where food on sale is fully wrapped.

You must ensure your stall is kept clean throughout the event.

You will need to have cleaning equipment and materials including cleaning cloths, detergents and sanitizers.

Due to the nature of the event location no refrigerated vehicles can remain on the event site.

Cold water will be available on site.

Allergens

Allergen information must be provided for all the foods you sell this includes:

  • cereals containing gluten e.g. wheat, rye, barley, oats
  • celery and celeriac e.g. stalks, seeds and leaves
  • eggs
  • fish, crustaceans and molluscs e.g. all fish, prawns, lobster, crab, clams, langoustines, mussels, oysters, squid
  • milk
  • mustard
  • peanuts
  • other nuts e.g. walnuts, cashews, pecan, Brazil, pistachio, macadamia, Queensland nuts
  • sesame eeds
  • soya e.g. flour, tofu or bean curd, textured soya protein, soy sauce, edamame beans.
  • sulphur dioxide and sulphites
  • lupin seeds and flour

Details of these allergens will have to be listed clearly in an obvious place such as a menu, chalkboard or information pack. Where not on show you will need to signpost to where it can be obtained.

Food origin claims

You must provide evidence of any claims made relating to the foods you sell.

You must fulfil the qualifying criteria and source from the south west's 7 areas - Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Dorset and Bristol.

Eggs - produced from chickens reared as above and packed on a farm within the south west.

Bird welfare - Lion Code, Freedom Food Certification, Soil Association Organic, LEAF Marque or equivalent.

Dairy products - added value dairy products must be made from milk produced on a farm within the South West. Processing and packaging must also take place in the south west.

Animal welfare – Assured Dairy Farms status, Freedom Food Certification, Certified Organic or the equivalent.

Fruit, nuts, vegetables & staples - where available fruits, nuts and vegetables must be grown, processed and packaged within the south west.

Where feasible, traditional and heritage varieties of seeds and vegetables from the South West region should be grown. Where a UK variety is not available, the source of the seed or vegetable should be as near to the UK as possible.

Juices and alcoholic drinks

If available, the primary fruit, honey or mead, which has been grown/collected within the south west region.

Where feasible the primary fruit, honey or mead is to be harvested from orchards, fruit farms, etc. that comply with LEAF Marque, Certified Organic or equivalent.

Processed Foods – jams, chutneys, cakes, pies, ready-made meals etc

If available, the primary product of all processed foods must be a south west region product. The processing and packaging must be within the South West region. No harmful chemical additives, artificial colours or preservatives must be used.

Product safety

All products offered for sale must comply with relevant product safety legislation, including appropriate CE and warning labelling if required.

Electricity

You should provide a list of any electrical items that you’ll be bringing with you. You must have PAT certificates for all electrical items on your stall that are over a year old. All electrical equipment must be safe, free from defects and in good working order.

All electrical equipment, connectors and cabling used must be suitable for external use and correctly rated.

Any electrical cabling shall be placed where it cannot sustain physical damage and does not cause a trip hazard. If this is unavoidable however, you must make sure the cables are suitably protected using purpose made rubber strips.

Should the Council be advised by the Production Team that you have faulty or unsafe electrical items or connections within your stall you will be asked to disengage the equipment or may be asked to cease trading with no refund your of your booking fee.

Waste

All food stall holders must take steps to minimize their use of packaging. Where possible traders are asked to ensure any serving containers or utensils provided to the customer are reusable/recyclable and/or bio degradable.

Litter and rubbish generated during the event by the business must be cleared regularly from the stall and surrounding areas and not allowed to collect at the back of stalls.

All refuse shall be kept in suitable containers and shall be of a sufficient size for the amount of litter likely to be generated.

Bins are provided for you around the site and must be used for waste generated on site.

Traders are responsible for the cleanliness of the stand and any waste/grease must be cleared before leaving the event site. You may double check with the Events Team on the day if you are unsure.

Sign up to the Library Market Days digital mailing list to receive notifications of new market dates and locations.

For any enquiries, email library@plymouth.gov.uk.

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Do you run a local or small business? Apply now to hire a tabletop stall at one of our library market days!