You must have a Market Rights Licence to hold a market in Manchester. This is a legal requirement under our Market Rights Policy.
What counts as a market?
A market is any event with five or more trading spaces, including:
- car boot sales
- table-top sales
- traditional or specialist markets
- fairs and exhibitions.
Trading spaces can be:
- pitches
- stalls
- gazebos
- tables
- vehicles (including caterers).
Each space is for one seller. If a space has more than one seller, it counts as multiple spaces.
You still need a licence if:
- you own or have permission to use the premises
- you have planning consent or other permissions. E.g. Premises Licence, Temporary Event Notice, Traffic Regulation Order.
- the market is indoors or outdoors, on public or private land
- the market is for charity or not-for-profit
- the market is part of a bigger event. E.g. festival, fete, concert, fairground.
Running a market without a licence is unlawful and may lead to legal action.
Applying for a licence
Applications for a Market Rights Licence must be submitted at least 21 days before the proposed market date. We recommend submitting your application as early as possible to allow sufficient time for it to be considered. We may not be able to consider late applications in time.