Craft Fair Compliance Guides for Stallholders and Event Organisers

CLP Regulations: Product Labelling

How to label candles, wax melts, soaps, and other chemical products correctly.

Stallholder9 min read

Hallmarking Act: Selling Precious Metals

Legal requirements for selling gold, silver, platinum, and palladium at craft fairs.

Both7 min read

Children's Clothing Labels: What the Law Requires

Textile labelling, care symbols, and safety requirements for selling handmade children's clothing.

Both9 min read

Selling Handmade Cosmetics and Bath Products

Cosmetic product safety reports, notification, and labelling for bath bombs, soaps, and skincare.

GPSR: What the General Product Safety Regulation Means for Makers

The EU General Product Safety Regulation explained for UK craft sellers: what applies to you and what does not.

Both12 min read

UKCA Marking for Handmade Toys: How to Self-Certify for Craft Fairs

A step-by-step guide to self-certifying your handmade toys for UKCA marking before you sell at a craft fair, market, or online: the EN71 tests, Technical Files, and Declaration of Conformity explained.

Food Imitation Regulations: What Candle and Wax Melt Makers Need to Know

Why food-shaped candles and wax melts are unlawful, what "do not eat" labels actually protect, and practical alternatives for makers.

Selling 3D Printed Items at Craft Fairs: Safety, Testing and the Law

Plain-English guide to toy safety regulations, UKCA marking, EN71 testing, and intellectual property rules for selling 3D printed items at craft fairs and markets in the UK.

Selling Resin Crafts at UK Markets and Fairs: Safety and Labelling

Plain-English guide to the safety and labelling rules for selling epoxy resin crafts in the UK, including food contact, children's products, and CLP.

Stallholder8 min read

Nickel Release in Jewellery: UK REACH

How the nickel release limit applies to handmade jewellery sold at craft fairs and markets.

Stallholder9 min read

Food Contact Material Safety

Regulations for selling handmade ceramics, kitchenware, and other items that come into contact with food.

Stallholder8 min read

Furniture and Furnishings Fire Safety

How the 1988 fire safety regulations apply to handmade cushions, upholstered items, and soft furnishings sold at craft fairs.

Stallholder8 min read

Therapeutic and Medicinal Claims

Where the line falls between cosmetic claims and medicinal claims, and why it matters at craft fairs.

Food and Drink

7 guides

Stallholder5 min read

Food Hygiene Ratings

What food vendors need to know about hygiene ratings, registration, and inspections.

Both6 min read

Registering as a Food Business with Your Local Council

How to register, what to expect from your first inspection, and common mistakes to avoid.

Food Labelling and Allergens: Natasha's Law for Market Sellers

Allergen labelling rules for prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) food at markets and craft fairs.

Event Host7 min read

Food Hygiene Requirements for Events with Food Vendors

What event hosts need to check and require from food vendors trading at their events.

Both9 min read

Selling Homemade Dog Treats: Registration, Labelling, and What Most People Don't Know

Why dog treats are classified as animal feed, what registrations you need, and how the labelling rules differ from human food.

Stallholder12 min read

Selling Jams, Chutneys, and Preserves at Craft Fairs: What the Law Requires

Why selling a few jars of jam is more regulated than most people expect, and what you need to get right before your first sale.

Both7 min read

LPG Gas Safety for Food Vendors: Certificates, Setup and the Law

Plain-English guide to LPG gas safety for food trucks, market stalls, and mobile caterers. Covers CP44 certificates, flame failure devices, cylinder storage, and finding the right engineer.

Insurance

4 guides

Both5 min read

Public Liability Insurance

Why PLI matters for stallholders and event hosts, and what cover you need.

Both7 min read

Insurance Requirements for Craft Fairs: Hosts and Vendors

A complete overview of insurance types relevant to craft fairs, who needs what, and how to check cover.

Product Liability Insurance for Makers

What product liability insurance covers, how it differs from public liability, and why makers of certain products should have it.

Both6 min read

Employers' Liability Insurance for Event Hosts

When you need employers' liability insurance as an event host, including for volunteers and casual helpers.

Licences and Permissions

3 guides

Event Host5 min read

Temporary Event Notices (TENs)

When you need a TEN to serve alcohol or provide entertainment at your event.

Event Host7 min read

Do I Need a Premises Licence for My Craft Fair?

When a premises licence is needed, when a TEN is sufficient, and what the entertainment exemptions cover.

Street Trading Licences and Consent

When you need a street trading licence, when you do not, and how to tell the difference.

Event Safety

7 guides

Event Host8 min read

Martyn's Law (Protect Duty)

What the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act means for event hosts and venue operators.

Fire Safety at Outdoor Events

Fire risk assessment, equipment, and compliance for event organisers.

Event Host7 min read

Risk Assessments for Outdoor Markets and Craft Fairs

How to write a practical risk assessment for your outdoor event, with a focus on what councils actually want to see.

Fire Safety for Indoor Craft Fairs and Markets

Fire risk considerations when hosting craft fairs in village halls, community centres, and indoor venues.

Stallholder6 min read

PAT Testing: Do You Need It for Your Craft Fair Setup?

The truth about PAT testing: it is not a legal requirement, but event organisers often ask for it. Here is what you need to know.

First Aid Requirements for Events

What first aid provision you need at your craft fair, market, or outdoor event, scaled to event size.

Noise Regulations for Outdoor Events

Noise nuisance law, practical noise management, and how to avoid complaints at outdoor craft fairs and markets.

Running Your Business

8 guides

Hobby vs Business: HMRC Rules

When your craft hobby becomes a taxable business in the eyes of HMRC.

What Makes an Event Legitimate? Red Flags to Watch For

How to spot dodgy event organisers and protect yourself from scam craft fairs.

GDPR for Craft Businesses and Event Hosts

Data protection basics for small craft businesses: collecting emails, mailing lists, customer records, and event bookings.

Stallholder10 min read

Copyright and Intellectual Property: What Craft Sellers Need to Know

Protecting your own designs and avoiding infringing others': copyright, trade marks, and design rights for makers.

Product Photography for Stallholders: Making Your Work Look Its Best

Practical tips for photographing your handmade products and your stall, using a smartphone or camera, with free and low-cost editing tools.

Taking Card Payments at Craft Fairs: A Beginner's Guide

Plain-English guide to moving from cash to card at craft fairs and markets: what actually happens, what kit you need, signal and bank accounts, and the questions to ask any provider before you sign up.

Paying Someone to Help on Your Stall: What HMRC Expects

When you pay a friend or helper at a craft fair, what HMRC expects: casual help vs employment, the 14-day rule, PAYE thresholds, and how to decide which side of the line you are on.

Event Host8 min read

Checking Stallholder Documents: A Host's Guide to Vetting Vendors

What documents to ask your stallholders for, how to check they are genuine and in date, and a sensible way to tier your requirements without scaring off good traders.