1. Bath Christmas Market 2025 Dates and Times
This year’s Bath Christmas Market will run from Thursday 27th November to Sunday 14th December (inclusive):
- Monday to Wednesday: 10am to 7pm
- Thursday to Saturday: 10am to 8pm
- Sunday: 10am to 6pm
Residents' Preview Evening: Wednesday 26th November from 5pm to 7pm.
2. Stallholder Applications
2.1 Applications
Application forms must be completed online and any supporting documentation sent to the event organisers, B&NES Council, by the stated deadline. Please do not send product samples or cheques. Payment will be paid once your application has been approved via an online link. If any of the paperwork is missing, your application will not be considered. All applicants must read and agree to the terms and conditions prior to submitting their application. Please note that pitches cannot be secured or obtained from a third party under any circumstances.
Applications will only be accepted from individual persons or businesses. No “joint” applications will be accepted. Applicants must be 16 or over unless accompanied by an adult at all times.
2.2 Selection
All applications are considered by the event organisers. The event organisers will not comment on or discuss individual applications. There is no guarantee that stallholders who have exhibited in previous years will be offered a place in 2025. The submission of an application form and all the desired paperwork does not constitute the offer of a chalet. The decision of our selection and vetting process is final and binding. Feedback on individual applications will not be available to unsuccessful applicants.
2.3 Offers and Declined Applications
We anticipate successful applicants will be emailed with an offer of a chalet by the end of June. We cannot guarantee you will be allocated your preferred location but will do our best to accommodate all pitch requests where possible.
Unsuccessful applicants will be informed by email if they have not been selected. Please accept that the decision of the selection panel is final. We are unable to offer feedback on individual applications to unsuccessful applicants.
If any chalet locations need to be relocated or removed, we reserve the right to relocate or remove chalets at any time before the event commences. Please note that we reserve the right (at the event organisers’ discretion) to direct you to occupy another chalet at any time. We will inform you of any such change via email.
2.4 Offer Acceptance
Should your application be successful, you will be sent an acceptance email with a payment link. Your first installment payment is proof you have accepted your pitch. A deadline will be set for payments to be paid, and if we do not hear from you by this date, your chalet will be offered to another stallholder.
By accepting the offer, you are confirming that you will be able to attend and operate your chalet for the full duration of the chalet rental period allocated to you during the event. If you are unable to do so, then the event organisers reserve the right to offer your chalet to another stallholder.
If, following acceptance, you are unable to take up your chalet, a refund of 50% of your overall fee will be processed, provided the cancellation is before 28th September 2025 and it is possible to reissue your chalet. After this date, or in the eventuality that we are not able to reissue your chalet, no money will be refunded in the event of a cancellation on your behalf.
3. Legal Compliance, Indemnity and Disclaimer
3.1 Health, Safety and Licensing
Stallholders are expected to comply with all relevant legislation in respect of Trading Standards, Consumer Protection, Food Safety, Health and Safety and requirements of the Bath and North East Somerset Council Health, Safety and Environmental Health teams.
Stallholders are responsible for ensuring the safety and wellbeing of their staff. Your stall must always have someone over the age of 16 present. Any stallholder under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Chalets will be inspected during the Market and those deemed to not comply with good practice and general safety requirements will not be permitted to trade. If you intend to sell alcohol, then it is the responsibility of the stallholder to apply for a premise license or TEN. Bath Christmas Market does not hold a license for the sale of alcohol. Failure to obtain your individual premise license will mean you will not be permitted to trade. Alcohol in open vessels for immediate consumption on site is not permitted unless you are running one of our bar/mulled wine pitches. Any tasting must be agreed upon with the event organisers in advance of arrival on site.
During the setup and dismantling of your chalet, stallholders are expected to work with due care and attention to members of the public and other stallholders. You must alert event management staff of any health and safety-related issues immediately.
3.2 Risk Assessment
All stallholders are required to have carried out a careful assessment of the potential risks associated with their activity and setup required, and to submit a written copy of this upon request.
3.3 Insurance
All stallholders must hold Public Liability Insurance, with a minimum cover of £5 million to cover the period of the Market. Stallholders must supply evidence of current insurance with their returned application. Insurance renewal certificates must be sent to the event organisers before the event commences. If stallholders do not have valid insurance covering the duration of the Market, stallholders will not be permitted to trade. Stallholders must hold adequate insurance to cover loss or damage to stock. We also recommend taking out Adverse Weather Insurance in the unlikely event of cancellation.
3.4 Indemnity
In signing the terms and conditions, stallholders (subject to approval by B&NES Council) shall indemnify B&NES Council and all event staff from and against actions, costs, losses (including legal fees), claims, or demands in respect of any accident, damage, death or injury to any person or property arising directly or indirectly from the stallholder’s use of the chalet.
3.5 Disclaimer
To the maximum extent permitted in law, you agree that B&NES Council is not responsible for any financial loss, or for any loss or damage to your equipment, goods, personal belongings, or stock, and for any personal injury to you or any part or person connected with you.
3.6 Data
By signing the terms and conditions, you give permission for your company contact details to be stored on an electronic storage and retrieval system, which will be created for the exclusive use of those involved in the organisation of Bath Christmas Market. This will not be used by any third party without prior consent.
4. Stallholder Agreement
4.1 Stallholder Behaviour and Compliance
Stallholders must cooperate and comply with all reasonable requests and all other rules and regulations that may be advised from time to time by the event organisers and their nominated representative, Emergency Services and all other official organisation operating onsite. All stallholders must abide by the codes of conduct (these will be issued with confirmation letters to successful applicants). Rude or aggressive behaviour on site will not be tolerated by the event organisers and you may be asked to leave the site with any future participation questioned.
4.2 Parking and use of vehicles
All stallholders must comply with traffic regulations throughout the event, including load-in and load-out. This includes the use of double yellow parking, blue badge holder parking, and loading bays. You must take parking instruction from event staff, security and other official persons at all times and failure to do so will be seen as a breach of the terms and conditions, and you may be issued with a fine. Having your Christmas Market permit on display within a restricted area does not grant you authority to park anywhere within the city centre.
4.3 Trading Agreement
Bath Christmas Market's licenced trading hours are stated in section 1. Trading outside of Bath Christmas Market's opening hours is strictly prohibited.
5. Finance and Payment
5.1 Deposit
Successful stallholders will be requested to secure their pitch by paying their deposit by immediate BACS payment on receipt of an offer letter. You will be sent your payment link to make the payment online.
5.2 Cheques
We do not accept cheques for payment instalments submitted with applications.
5.3 Missed Payments
Any overdue payments or payments not received as per the payment schedule may result in your pitch being reassigned to another stallholder and loss of monies paid to date.
6. Cancellation Policy
6.1 Termination of Bath Christmas Market
The event organisers reserve the right to delay, cancel, shorten or terminate all or parts of Bath Christmas Market without notice in the event of adverse weather conditions, terror threat, emergency situation, public health concerns, or for any other reason beyond reasonable control. Stallholders will be informed in writing by email and SMS of any such decision, or verbally if onsite in the event of an incident requiring immediate response. We recommend that all individual stallholders have appropriate insurance in place to cover this, including but not limited Market Traders Insurance and/or Stock Insurance.
6.2 Failure to Comply with Terms and Conditions
The event organisers further reserve the right to immediately terminate the right of any stallholder failing to comply with any of the terms and conditions and bond rules, or any reasonable directions given by us or the parties specified in clause three of this document.
6.3 Refunds and Compensation
No refunds or compensation of any sort will be paid to stallholders who fail to attend Bath Christmas Market, or where a stallholder has been instructed to cease trading due to non-compliance with any of the terms and conditions or the codes of conduct.
By accepting your place at this year’s event you confirm that your company will operate within the terms and conditions outlined in this document during operation at the 2025 Bath Christmas Market. A copy of this document will be retained, and the content passed to all personnel working at the 2025 Bath Christmas Market.
