Stalls

At the smallest of events, for example at school sport days, you will be expected to supply some sort of tables for the stalls. That is quite simple because you can use school tables.

On larger events the stalls are not your worry. You will supply the plot and it will be the responsibility of the stallholder to supply, erect, staff, protect and remove his or her own stall. There are some concerns that you will have to be aware of.

Safety

You have a responsibility for the safety of members of the public attending your event, staff, stallholders and members of the public passing by. The quality and style of their stalls may vary, from wallpaper pasting trestles, through scaffold planks and poles, to quite sophisticated custom-made enclosed and covered market stalls and tents. Your concern is that they are safe and will not injure members of the public or event staff, due to unsafe construction, use or materials.

Beware of dangers from stalls – for example:

• collapse/overloading,
• splinters,
• protrusions (eye, head, and knee collisions),
• trip hazard, (guy ropes, stabilisers etc),
• electric shock (via metal frames and bad wiring),
• cuts (sharp edges and ends).

Size

Depending on the type of event you are running, the size of a plot or stall may vary. For example, a steam fair may require a stallholder’s plot to be large enough for a traction engine, a generator, a tent and three tables, while a school fête plot may be one small desk and a chair to sell raffle tickets.

You must ensure that you provide plots of the appropriate size for the stallholder’s requirements.