Christmas Lights Switch-on and Tin Hat Fair

Please always:

• Book your stall in plenty of time. For information on how to book a stall, please visit apply for a stall. Allocation will be at the council's discretion. The deadline to apply is 12 August 
• Be clear about what you intend to sell, a photo helps. Please do not give a vague description of goods and then load up your stall with something different

Please never:

• Occupy your stall dressed in any kind of Santa costume. Santa Claus will be in his grotto on Castle Street for the evening, meeting children and giving presents. The sight of other Santas on the night will only confuse young children
• Turn up on the night intending to sell food or novelties without a prior booking as you will be turned away
• Book your stall and then fail to turn up on the night. If you find you will be unable to attend, please let us know as soon as possible so that someone else can use the stall location. Once you are approved for the event, you will receive a confirmation email with information on how to notify us in case you will no longer be able to make it to the event

Set up and breakdown 

Once your application is approved and nearer the time of the event you will be advised on what time you can set up your stall. If you are bringing a gazebo or any other equipment that is heavy and may be prone to falling, please ensure that they are suitably weighted down.

To unload, vehicles can enter the event area via the top of Castle Street by the rising bollards, but must be moved away from this area before the event begins at 4pm. Vehicles can return to the event area to pack away after the event has finished (the official finish time is 8pm) and the event manager has given all clear to do so. Event assistants will be on hand and are identifiable in hi-vis vests. Vehicles must adhere to 5mph and put hazard lights on when moving in the event area for the safety of pedestrians. Please do not move your vehicle until an event assistant can guide you in or out safely.

All relevant road closure information will be detailed on our website as well as One Network (one.network)

Any electrical equipment must be PAT-tested, and any loose cables must be covered with cable covers. Please bring appropriate covers for electrical equipment in case of inclement weather. We will do our best to supply lighting at market stalls, but we cannot guarantee provision.

Environmental/climate considerations

Please read the Letter to Vendors - Climate change considerations for further details on the council's expectations at events.

Allergens

If applicable, please can all vendors ensure that they display any relevant allergen information on their stalls. Vendors selling food or drink must provide a copy of their latest food hygiene certificate in advance of the event - the council requires this to be four or above. Vendors must also display their latest food hygiene certificate on their stall on the day of the event.

Power

Power supply is upon request and the number of power points in the event area is limited. If you require power, advise on the application form giving details of what item it is that requires power. If you are bringing a generator, please follow safety guidance on using this item. Only silent generators or a maximum 80 decibels are allowed, please specify the make and model of your generator in the application. If you are bringing LPG/generators or are using power on your stand, you must ensure that you have a suitable fire extinguisher with you.

Toilets

The nearest council-owned toilet facilities are on Station Road about a five-minute walk away, where an accessible toilet is available. A facility with changing places is available for use at Hinckley Leisure Centre. Please do not use the other facilities at the Hinckley Leisure Centre as these are not open to the public.

Medical 

We have a professional medical team in place for first aid with conveying ambulance on event day from 4pm to 8pm and 75% of our event staff are also first-aid trained. The medical team will be based on Station Road by the HSBC bank, but will also be walking around the event site. If you require assistance, please find an event team member in a hi-vis vest or, if it is an emergency, dial 999. The medical team do have a mobile defibrillator and the nearest defibrillator for public use is at the Britannia Centre. Drinking water is available from the main stage in Market Place if needed, otherwise on event days The Wild Lotus on Castle Street and Hinckley Leisure Centre offer free water re-fills if you have your own re-useable drinks vessel.

Lost child

As this event is family friendly and is expected to be busy, the chances of a child becoming lost are likely. We do have a procedure for lost children which event staff are aware of. If you become aware of a child being lost, please find a member of the events team or report to the stage in Market Place where a staff member will assist.

Promotion and social media

During your application, you will be asked to provide a brief description of your offer and any restrictions involved so we can promote yourself and the event on social media. If you can, please provide a suitable photo to help with your application. We will have a professional photographer at the event. If you are taking your own photos on the day for use on your own website/social media, please make sure you have asked permission of those you are taking photos of. On the day of the event, any person who has come to a member of staff advising them they do not want to be photographed will wear a yellow wristband to make our photographer aware they have not consented to being photographed.

Fire safety 

Please read the below information about fire safety for stall holders at markets and events. Hinckley’s Christmas Lights Switch-on as an event in its entirety has been fully risk assessed by the council, which includes a fire risk assessment. Please see important points for you to adhere to from our fire risk assessment below and what to do if you discover a fire at the event:

• No smoking at your stall or near electrical equipment
• Please ensure any fire hazards such as liquids/litter are away from electrical equipment
• Make sure equipment is PAT-tested and set up under cover in case of inclement weather
• Make sure you have a clear safe fire exit route from your stall
• It is your responsibility to ensure the safety of yourself and any staff members in an emergency, and do a head count on the day to make sure everyone is accounted for if something happens
• Please note our emergency evacuation points for events staff (primary – Mount Road car park, secondary – former leisure centre car park on Trinity) if you wish to use the same for your staff

If you discover a fire on site at the event, please raise the alarm by reporting immediately to an event assistant (hi-vis vest) or come to the main stage (Market Place). The events team do have on-site basic fire-fighting equipment and will assess the situation, before deciding on whether to announce it over the PA system to evacuate the site and call the emergency services. If you cannot advise a member of staff quickly on the discovery of a fire, please call the fire service by dialling 999, then report to the events team. Once you have raised the alarm, please make sure you get yourself to a point of safety. 

Insurance and risk assessments 

All companies interacting with the public are required to have their own public liability insurance at a minimum of £5 million. Please provide a copy of this for our records on application. Risk assessments covering your business and/or the activity you are providing need to also be submitted to us. If you are using power, then a fire risk assessment will also need to be submitted. Please submit these documents on application.

Postponing and event cancellation 

Due to events beyond our control such as bad weather or changes to COVID-19 guidelines, it may be that the event is cancelled or postponed. If this decision is made, we will let you know as soon as possible. Unless you hear from us to advise you that the event is cancelled or postponed, please treat this event as going ahead.

Other considerations 

You may have attended this event in the past and will know how busy it can get each year. If the weather is favourable, we anticipate this year's to be no different. If you have attended before, it may be that you will not be in the same location as in previous years. The online booking form will help us to decide upon the best location for you, based upon the space you require and what equipment you are bringing.

Last updated: 10/07/2024 14:29