Chester Market

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Ellesmere Port Market

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Northwich Market

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Winsford Market

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Our Markets

We have a portfolio of four markets across the borough: Chester, Ellesmere Port, Northwich and Winsford. There are two further markets, Neston and Frodsham which are managed independently.

We are investing heavily in improving our markets and are committed to ensuring they can continue to serve the local community and enhance our city and town centres. We also licence markets and other events where goods, foods or drinks are sold whether commercially or for charitable purposes.

Our markets play a significant role in providing vibrant and thriving public spaces for all our residents and visitors to enjoy; alongside promoting diversity, sustainability, economic growth, entrepreneurship and social value.

Become a Market Trader

Becoming a market trader is a low cost, low risk way of starting up in business with short term leases and very competitive rents available. You will be surrounded by experienced, knowledgeable traders with whom you can share ideas and insights with, as well as benefiting from expert advice from our award-winning market management and site staff.

Have you ever thought about becoming a market trader?

  • Low cost
  • Low risk
  • Great community
  • Promotional offers for start-up businesses
  • Expert advice and support

Register Your Interest

How to Run a Market Information

How we licence markets

To ensure our markets can continue to thrive, we licence markets and other events where goods, foods or drinks are sold whether commercially or for charitable purposes. These powers result from the granting of Market Charters, some of which date from medieval times which protected the rights of local traders from rival markets within six and two third miles from their own stalls.

Today these powers extend to our existing markets and are statutory rights to authorise, control and even prevent external events via the granting of chargeable market licences for both regular and one-off markets, or any similar events where there are multiple sellers and buyers coming together.

We also have a duty to ensure markets are safe and comply with legislation covering Trading Standards, Environmental Health and Consumer Rights and to avoid duplication or too many markets taking place in one locality.

Do I need a Market License?

If you are planning to run a market or similar event whether indoors or outside e.g. a fayre, fete or festival, car boot or table sale, please see our events page to complete an application form which can help clarify if you need to apply for a market licence.

We have the authority to license markets and other events where things like goods, food or drinks are sold, whether for profit or for charity. We have legal rights to approve, regulate and in some cases stop markets from happening where necessary. We do this by issuing Market Licenses, which need to be paid for; these licenses cover both regular markets and one-time markets, as well as any similar events where sellers and buyers come together.

FAQs

  • These powers result from the granting of Market Charters, some of which date from medieval times which protected the rights of local traders from rival markets within six and two third miles from their own stalls.

    Today these powers extend to our existing markets and are statutory rights to authorise, control and even prevent external events via the granting of chargeable market licences for both regular and one-off markets, or any similar events where there are multiple sellers and buyers coming together.

    We also have a duty to ensure markets are safe and comply with legislation covering Trading Standards, Environmental Health and Consumer Rights and to avoid duplication or too many markets taking place in one locality.

  • The legal definition of a market is classed as ‘a concourse of buyers and sellers’. Which under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 establishes as 5 or more stalls. As such any event that has 5 or more stalls meets the criteria of a market and requires a licence.

  • Yes, if you are planning to run a market or similar event whether indoors or outside e.g. a fayre, fete or festival, car boot or table sale, please see our events page to complete an application form which can help clarify if you need to apply for a market licence.

  • Yes, permission must be sought to hold a market on private land and a market license will be required.

  • We are committed to maintaining the balance of markets throughout the borough and ensuring that there is consistency in the way that markets are operated. A Rival Markets Policy sets out the basis upon which markets are held and the process by which applications for markets will be considered.

    This establishes our market rights, which ensures our 4 main markets in Chester, Ellesmere Port, Winsford and Northwich are not negatively impacted by temporary markets or events and to be fair in our decision making.

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