Christmas Lights Switch-on and Tin Hat Fair

Please always: 

• Book your stall in plenty of time, the deadline for applications is 9 October. You will receive an approved or declined response from a Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council (HBBC) email address; be aware of scams on social media. Stalls for the switch-on cannot be booked any other way than via this website 
• Check any products you intend to sell to children to make sure they are appropriate 
• Act in a professional and friendly manner at our events 
• Make payment for your stall promptly; if your application is approved, payment must be received within 10 working days of approval, or your pitch will no longer be available 
• Note that applications received after the deadline may be held on our database in case cancellations arise nearer the time. If this is the case, we could then contact you to see if you are still interested in attending 

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 break-down

Once your application is approved and nearer the time of the event, you will be advised on where and what time you can set up your stall and other safety requirements. 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. 
 
Stall holders will need to park offsite during the event. Car parking is free in all council-owned car parks after 3pm on 20 November, please note Church Walk car park and Trinty Lane East will be closed all day on 20 November. All relevant road closure information will be detailed on our website as well as One Network (one.network) 

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. Environmental health will be making checks on the night. If you are selling hot food you must provide your own hand washing facilities.  

Power 

We will not be able to provide power or lighting to any stalls. If you require power, you must source this yourself and advise on the application form giving details of what item it is that requires power. Any generators on site must adhere to HBBC’s generator agreement, please specify the make and model of your generator in the application. If you are using LPG gas, we require a copy of an up-to-date gas certificate as issued by an engineer on the Gas Safety Register. Gas equipment must be stored in line with gas safety requirements; you must have at least one member of staff trained in basic gas safety awareness, and your stall must also contain fire safety equipment. Any electrical equipment (any equipment with a plug) must be PAT tested and in good working condition, and any loose cables must be covered with cable covers. Please bring appropriate covers for electrical equipment in case of wet weather. 

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 a conveying ambulance on the event day from 2pm to 9pm and 99% of our event staff are also first aid trained. If you require assistance, please find an event team member in a hi-vis vest for assistance 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 or Hinckley Leisure 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 refills 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 high. 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 to assist you.

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. 

Fire safety  

Please read the below information about fire safety for stall holders at markets and events. Hinckley’s Christmas Lights Switch-on event has been fully risk assessed by the council, which includes a fire risk assessment. Please see important points from our fire risk assessment below that you must follow, 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 
• If you are using LPG gas you must have firefighting equipment at your stall  
• Make sure equipment is PAT tested and set up under cover in case of wet 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 
• Stalls requiring power must be positioned at least two metres away from other stalls and any waste bins 
• Generators must be securely enclosed to prevent public access 

If you discover a fire on site at the event, please raise the alarm by reporting immediately to an event assistant (hi-vis vest). If you cannot advise a member of staff quickly on the discovery of a fire, please immediately 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. If you are using LPG Gas, certificates will need to be provided. If you are a leisure ride trader, safety inspection certificates will need to be uploaded. Please submit these documents on application. If your insurance is due to expire before the event date, please make sure you send your new certificate to us before the event, otherwise your pitch may be released. 

Postponing and event cancellation  

Due to events beyond our control such as bad weather, 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. This year, we are continuing to explore the use of Church Walk car park for stalls, which was trialed last year to disperse visitors and help with crowding down Castle Street. The online booking form will help us to decide upon the best location for you, based upon the space you require, what you are selling and what equipment you are bringing, so please provide as much detail as you can.  

Signed agreements  

• Please adhere to any agreements signed on application. This includes your agreement to ensure:  
• All electrical items have been PAT tested 
• All generators adhere to HBBC’s Generator Agreement July 2026  
• Provision of your own hand-washing facilities  
• All fire and risk assessments are followed 
• Take away all vendor generated waste following this event and have an appropriate waste carriers licence 
• Letter to vendors – climate change agreement 
• Fire safety instructions for stall holders 
• Keep any electrical cables tidy, organised, out of walkways and as out of sight as possible 
• Agree to behave professionally when attending a council event 

Last updated: 15/09/2026 15:51