Shambles Market is a large covered market containing 75+ stalls and food kiosks. Due to the market’s location there are several entrances onto our market. We are nestled in-between and just off streets such as; Parliament Street, Shambles, Kings Square, Patrick Pool among other snickleways and side streets. The market office is located at 5 Silver Street, Y01 8RY. There is an intercom buzzer for any face to face enquiries, or even if you just want to come and say ‘Hi.’

If you have an enquiry regarding Shambles Market or wish to discuss becoming a trader here with us send an email direct to york-markets@makeityork.com . Or you can call, 01904 551355. We have a small but mighty team who can assist you as best we can.

We require all traders to complete an application form. To provide a copy of photo ID such as passport or driving license. Proof of address such as a utility bill, bank statement, council tax bill. It is only the address we need so you can edit out the contents of the letter if you wish to keep this private. Finally, we ask all traders to provide Public Liability Insurance at a minimum of £5,000,000 (five million).

For traders who wish to sell food from our market stalls please read the FAQ ‘Do I need a trader license’ for additional compliance and documentation.

The current daily pricing for our stalls are as follow: Monday £25 per day, Tuesday £25 per day, Wednesday £25 per day, Thursday £25 per day, Friday £30 per day, Saturday £40 per day and Sunday £30 per day. There are no additional costs for electricity or additional stall fixtures and fittings etc.

We do not require our traders to bring anything other than the stock you wish to sell. However, we do ask that you bring with you some form of signage and a stall to floor covering for the stall table top. You can read more on this in our rules and regulations form.

Our stalls are either 8ft or 10ft in width, depending on which part of the market you trade. The depth of the stalls fluctuate from 3ft, 3.5ft or 4ft dependent on location.

As a casual trader we ask that you to arrive at 8am prompt on the day you wish to trade. At which time you will be allocated a stall by one of our market operatives. Attending any later than 8am may mean you will not be granted a stall. However, if you are running late a simple phone call or email to the market office is advisable, so we can expect your arrival.

For some very new businesses we recommend this as a good approach. You do not have to commit to trading long term. You can even trade one day per month if you wish. All we ask is that you have provided the Shambles Market office all relevant documentation and that your Public Liability Insurance is in date.

As you can expect there are certain stipulations for trading on our market. Here are our updated rules & regulations. We ask you to familiarise yourself with these before trading. You’ll be pleased to know that these rules and regulations are regularly reviewed in conjunction with our own trader representatives’ party, YMTF.

We provide parking for your trader vehicles off site at Foss Bank car park (14, Jewbury, York YO31 7PL). When being allocated a stall in the morning please ask for a parking ticket (if not prompted by our market operatives) and you can purchase a ticket from us at the cost of £4. Card only payment required. The parking ticket works as a scratchcard, correctly scratch off the correct date and write your registration plate number in the box provided. Like any other parking permit please display on your dashboard when you leave your vehicle.

For prompt arrival at 8am you will enter the market via our Silver Street (YO1 8RY) entrance. Upon arrival you can park your vehicle in suitable spot and once allocated you can drive a little closer to your allocated stall, where feasible. Please be aware this is a pedestrianised area even at 8am in the morning. We ask you to be careful and considerate to other people and vehicles around you. Maximum speed limit is 5mph.

We recommend placing all your stock together in a compact arrangement on or underneath the stall you traded on. Then by using the stall to floor covering, simply place over your goods. We understand it’s not ideal. But for additional security explain to your neighbouring trader that you are going to retrieve your vehicle. Due to the kind and considerate nature of all our traders they will keep a safe eye on it until your return. Re-entry is approximately 5pm (or 4pm in winter) onto Shambles Market by entering Silver Street.

We often get asked this and the short answer is, no. Due to the market being in operation 7 days a week and with a selection of casual and licensed traders it’s not possible to book stalls in advance. Neither can we guarantee which stalls are available prior to 8am on the day you wish to trade. This is due to any traders who may be unwell, have doctor’s appointments, car troubles etc.

Your market operatives have a great idea on which stalls are more sought after than others and can help with this decision. By all means you can choose from the vacant stalls which are available to you, particularly if you arrive prior to 8am you can have a quick look around. Please be mindful that there are other casual traders and there may be a commodity clash with a neighbouring trader, or that a trader may be running late. A clear indication on which position you’d like to trade from is a good start but be prepared for alternatives.

Unless specifically authorised to do so by the market management, traders may not play music from their stall. If your commodity is selling records, cd’s or musical equipment then we will require your own PRS license. Please ask the market management for more details.

We are a family-friendly, professionally run market and event managing organisation, so safety is paramount. This applies to all items, if they are new, safe, legal products then they are allowed. PAT testing certification will be required for most electrical items. No drug paraphernalia, rude or offensive items, weapons or any fake goods. Branded goods must be genuine as we are in regular discussions with trading standards and ask for their input when necessary.

You are not required to complete a trader license to trade on our market. If you sell food you will need to adhere to your local food authority requirements. This includes being registered with your local food authority who will arrange an assessment of your business, all staff in receipt of a level 2 (minimum) food hygiene certificate, gas safety certificate (where applicable) and PAT testing certificate (where applicable).

All traders must have Public Liability Insurance cover up to £5,000,000 (five million). There are many insurance companies who can provide this cover for you, so do invest some time to shop around. Prices do vary but in most cases are no more than £90 per year. If you have 1 or more employees please alter your insurance accordingly to ensure Employees Liability is incorporated within your coverage.

Yes, this is absolutely something we can accommodate. We do feel though that your product must be as appealing if not better than what we offer to our customers. Our customers and traders are very loyal to us and we wish to reciprocate their loyalty where we can. We operate a commodity clash system where we don’t place business with similar products within two stalls of one another.

We ask all traders in attendance for the day be ready and open to trade from 9am. For traders and customers alike trading ends at 5pm (or 4pm in winter). We are open 7 days a week throughout the year. We are, however, closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. We also open on Bank Holidays including Easter and Summer.

The electricity supply to the market is 110v and all equipment used on the market must be 110v. No electricity point should be overloaded as each source is distributed equally. The maximum wattage is 300 watts per stall.

The beauty of an outdoor, open market is that when the sun is shining the footfall and trade is glorious. Unfortunately, however this is England where it does occasionally rain. Although all our stalls are covered, bad weather can bring much disruption. In extreme circumstances with high winds, for example, a decision at the start of the day will be made whether it is safe for traders and customers to attend. If deemed too dangerous to continue, the market will be forced to close as safety is paramount. Traders who have attended on such a day will be asked to vacate our site.

Sadly, we do not have room to store any of our traders’ stock on our market. There is simply no room for this. Storage container sites are dotted around the city, it may be an idea to enquire with these companies if you require this additional storage.

We regularly are asked about vacancies on our food court. This very reputable seated food area encompasses the outer parts of the market. Should you wish to notify us of your interest we are happy to add you to a waiting list. We can contact you if any food kiosks become available.

The toilet facilities for traders are located on Silver Street. They are operated by Healthmatic. The current price to use the facilities is 40p.

When you become a licensed trader you may obtain a toilet pass card for a fee of £17.