Information for St Albans Christmas Cracker traders
Please contact us immediately if the information contained, either here or in the supporting email, is not what you expect.
We will not be able to change any details on the day of the event.
Even if you have traded with us before, please read this information carefully as it may have changed since the last time you traded with us.
Please pay special attention Access and setup so you can plan your entry and exit to the site.
Please ensure that you bring appropriate weights for your gazebo.
Information about your pitch Toggle accordion
Your pitch
The two front corners of your pitch will be spray painted on the ground.
Please make sure you do not come outside of your designated area as this will impact other traders. Your pitch area needs to accommodate all staff, stock, equipment etc and allow for tow bars, door openings, etc.
Your stall equipment
You should be operating from a self-supplied gazebo and tables, a vehicle, or a trailer as agreed with us.
Assistance will be available if needed to help erect your gazebos.
Please ensure that you have adequate weights on all corners of your gazebo. If you do not have adequate weighting for your gazebo, you will not be able to trade and we will not be able to refund your pitch fee and other charges. No additional weights will be available on the day from the event team.
Please be aware that parts of the site are uneven, and in some places (notably on Market Place) there is a steep camber. Please bring anything you may need to safely level out your gazebo and tables, vehicle, or trailer.
Which way your stall should face
All pitches should be facing into the road, rather than towards the shopfronts. As you are trading from gazebos, you may wish to bring an additional small table and serve from two sides as there may be passers-by from both sides. Please ensure that your stall is lined up with neighbouring stalls and that you leave enough room between your pitch and the shopfronts in order not to block access.
Your pitch allocation
You pitch allocation is final. You cannot change on the day of the event. The pages that follow show a plan of St Peter’s Street and Market Place for the event with pitch locations.
Your pitch location will be clearly marked with your pitch number, so you can easily find where you will be. Members of security and the event team will be on hand to help guide you and support with any queries you may have.
Lighting
On , sunrise will be at 07.17 and sunset will be at 16.11. Lighting is not provided.
Cooking with a barbecue
If you will be using a barbecue you must provide a fire extinguisher and/or fire blanket.
If you do not supply this equipment, you will not be able to trade and we will not be able to refund your pitch fee and other charges. The barbecue will need to be cordoned off for public safety. Barriers will be available to borrow on the day of the event. Please help yourself from collection points along the street.
Selling alcohol
The festival site is covered by a premises licence that enables us to authorise you to sell alcohol. If you wish to serve alcohol, you must have stated your intention in your application form and submitted a copy of your Personal Licence to Sell Alcohol.
Electrical power and generators
There are a small number of pitches available with wired-in power. If you have been allocated one of these pitches, you will already have been informed and charged. Access for these traders will be facilitated by our on-site electrician. Any trader attempting to access power who has not paid for it will be given a written warning and disconnected.
Traders are welcome to bring generators that are compliant with our generator policy (link below). This means no petrol generators. All generators should be enclosed and silent.
All generators will need to be cordoned off for public safety. Barriers will be available to borrow on the day of the event. Please help yourself from collection points along the street.
Any item of equipment that is deemed by the Event Health and Safety Manager to constitute a noise or other nuisance will, with immediate effect, be turned off and may not be used again at this or any other future event. Traders will also be liable for any damage to the street by equipment used.
Packaging and recycling
Please note this event has committed to reducing its single-use plastic and would appreciate your support. Please note the content of our policy is available from the link below.
We will be doing a site walk round at the beginning of the event to check that your packaging complies with our policy.
We are more than happy to discuss these changes and help find alternatives for you. They are available via email at festivaltraders@stalbans.gov.uk.
Trading Hours
The Event is scheduled to run from 12:00 until 18:00. You can start trading as soon as you are set up and ready even if this is before 12:00.
Please do not bring any vehicle back on site until the Event Manager has given permission. This will be permitted as soon as the crowds decrease to a safe level.
Access and setup Toggle accordion
Set-up times
If you are trading from a trailer or vehicle, please ensure you arrive to set up between 07:00–08:00. If you arrive after this time, it will be at your own risk, and you may not be able to fit into your allocated pitch.
All other traders may access the site from 08:00.
Please do not attempt to access the site before your time slot. The reason we have two arrival times is that it is difficult to slot vehicles and trailers into position after gazebos have already been set up on both sides of them. For this reason, it is essential that you keep to these timings and do not arrive early to access your position. If you do arrive early, you will be turned away by the security team.
Please note that the expectation is that traders will unload their vehicles and move them straight away before coming back to start setting up their pitches. If you need somebody to watch your goods for you while you park your car, please ask a member of the security or event staff. Please see below for information on car parking.
All vehicles must exit the site by 10.30 at the latest.
Where to enter and exit the event site?
You will be met by a member of security at these entry points and walked to your position. The site will be busy, it is essential that you do not proceed to your position without a member of event or security staff to walk you into position. Please pay attention to the one-way traffic systems identified with coloured arrows on the site plan.
Parking your vehicle after unloading
Vehicles must be off site by 10:30.
| Name | Gombards Car Park | London Road Car Park |
|---|---|---|
| Postal code | AL3 5EN | AL1 1NG |
| Max height | none | |
| Cost | £1.50 all day | |
| Google Map link | Gombards Car Park | London Road Car Park |
Parking charges will apply and are the responsibility of the Trader. The events team are not responsible for any fines received for adequate parking charges not being paid.
Vehicle movements during the festival
Vehicle movements are not permitted between 12:00 and 18:00.
Coming back onto the site to pack down
Re-entry to the site may be delayed beyond 18:00.
You will be advised when you can access the event site by the security team. The time of the post-event access is at the discretion of the Event Manager, Katherine Crafer.
Please access the site via the same end as you did for set-up. Please see the map linked below, which shows the access points for each of the trading zones. Please check your email for details of which trading zone you are in.
If we have to cancel the event Toggle accordion
At 05:00 on the day of the event, the Event Manager will check the weather forecast for the whole of the event day. If adverse weather is anticipated or a Met Office Red or Amber Weather Warning is in place, the Event Manager (in consultation with Event Safety Coordinator and senior Council Officers) will make the final decision as to whether the event goes ahead. If the event is not going to take place, an alert will be sent to all traders via email, there will also be notifications posted on:
- The Christmas in St Albans Facebook page
- The Christmas in St Albans Instagram account
- The Council’s Facebook page
- The Council’s Instagram page
Other unlikely circumstances under which the event may be cancelled prior to the event would be as the result of a direct and specific threat to the event; the loss of a major section of the Event site for which alternatives have not been planned; the loss of a major public transport element or a specific threat to the town of St Albans as a whole.
Cancellation during the event is also considered to be unlikely. Potential causes would be a last-minute major incident occurring or a specific threat, which would significantly affect the Event or un-forecasted thunderstorms or other adverse weather which may affect the Event or an element of the Event.
Promoting the festival on social media Toggle accordion
We would be grateful if you could create as much of a buzz as possible with your customers and followers as possible. Please follow the Christmas in St Albans Facebook page and/or the Christmas in St Albans Instagram account. A template for use on social media is included with this email, please do use it if you like, along with the following hashtags #ChristmasInStAlbans #FestiveFun #ChristmasCracker.