Bantry Market is regulated and operated by Cork County Council. Through the market manager, they are responsible for the set up and operation of the market and allocation of trading spaces around the square and car park. They also administer the issue and renewal of trading licences for those that wish to trade.
New traders
If you are interested in starting a new market stall, please firstly read all the information on this page. Then see the ‘Booking for each Friday’ section on this page for information on how to book a pitch at the market.
Casual Trading Licence for Bantry Market
To start a new stall, you will need to apply for a Casual Trading Licence. The market manager can supply this form on your first day at the marker. Holding a valid trading licence is a condition of trading at Bantry Market for everyone.
If you are selling food, you will also need to ensure you are registered with the HSE, both for events and markets and also for where your food is made (if you make it yourself).
On your casual trading licence, you will also need to supply your business tax or personal PPS number (if you are self employed), to demonstrate that you or your business are registered with the Revenue.
You will also need public liability insurance to cover you for the days you trade at Bantry Market. See Trading at Bantry Market for more information on this.
The cost of a Casual Trading Licence for each year is currently €10 and is payable with the application.
Booking for each Friday
To book a pitch at the market, please contact the market manager BY TEXT ONLY on 086 794 4419. Please note: this is the only way to book a space at the market. It is also unlikely that the market manager will answer the phone other than during set up on Friday morning, so please only book by text.
You cannot book a space by contacting us through social media or email. Please message us through social media if you have a question about booking that cannot be answered by the information on this page.
You will need to notify the market manager by text (same number) before 5pm on EVERY Thursday, each time you wish to trade on the Friday. You may not receive a reply, though please call the market manager when you arrive in Bantry on market day so they can allocate you a space. You will need to do this each week if you wish to trade, until you are informed otherwise by the market manager.
Please be aware that the first market in Bantry each month is fair day and there are usually quite a few more traders than on other Fridays.
The cost for trading at each market for all traders is €5 per 3 metre pitch, which is payable to the market manager on the day. Upon payment, you will be issued with a receipt.
Traders start to setup on the day from 7am and setup must be completed by 10am, though as space (especially for parking to set up) can be difficult, it is better to get to Bantry as early as possible on the day. Please see the Parking in Bantry as a trader section for more information on parking during the day.
Set up of market stall
For market days, you will also need to provide your own shelter and table or furniture.
It can be very windy in Bantry so a gazebo is recommended with weights to hold it down. You can used a standard garden gazebo and for some traders this is fine. However, if you are planning to be at Bantry Market on a regular basis, you may want to invest in an industrial gazebo and weights. These can of course be purchased second hand though a lot of the traders use gazebos and equipment from O’Meara Camping or EU Pop Tents who both offer a range of gazebos, weights, etc as well as customization services, should you wish to brand your new gazebo!
Within certain safety guidelines and within your gazebo or trading space, the set up is largely up to the individual trader. It is important to plan the layout of your products, if you wish to be successful at the market. A lot of the traders have spent years working on the best layout to show off their products in the best way.
A good local company to use for signs for your stall is Designs and Signs in William Street who are very knowledgeable and specialize in this sort of thing. There are also various outlets in Bantry that can assist with any leaflet or stationery you may need.
Trading at Bantry Market
Initially as a new trader, you will be fitted in around other traders who have been at the market, in some cases for many years. Please be respectful of this.
After a year of trading and having completed the required number of markets between March and December, you will qualify for regular or permanent trader status, which will provide you with some certainty as to where you will be located at each market. All traders have to re-apply each year and their status will be dependent upon the number of markets completed during the previous year. There is also a points-based system, that with prioritize local and artisan producers as well as how many years each trader has been at the market.
The market community at Bantry is very friendly and you will find that we all help each other when we need to.
Insurance
To trade at Bantry Market, you must also have public liability insurance for every day that you wish to trade at the market.
For most traders this can be purchased on a daily basis if you only wish to trade occasionally at the market. See the Daily public liability insurance for traders section for more information.
However, if you wish to trade on a regular basis and also at other markets and events, it is probably better to purchase an annual policy. MAST, who provide support for market traders across Ireland, offer access to a specialist policy for this. Insurance for traders is also available from IOMST. Contact them for more details. Please remember that public liability insurance is important to protect you, your business, other traders as well as the public.
Daily public liability insurance for traders
As public liability insurance is mandatory to trade at Bantry Market, the BMTA have organised, through an insurance company, to offer this to traders (except traders that sell hot food) to purchase on the day of trading. The cost of this is currently €5.00 per day. Please speak to the Market Manager or a BMTA Committee member for more details.
If you do choose the daily option, it is your responsibility to ensure that you purchase it each day. This should be done before 10am on each trading day. Please note that this insurance is for public liability insurance. If you need product liability, you will need to purchase your own policy to cover this.
The daily insurance option is not available if you are selling hot food, livestock or children’s play events (eg bouncy castles). If this is the case you must arrange your own insurance.
Please note that spot checks are carried out by Cork County Council to ensure that all traders who have not notified them that they have an annual policy in place, have purchased insurance for the days that they trade at Bantry Market, so please ensure if you decide to use the daily insurance that you purchase it for EVERY DAY you are trading at Bantry Market.
Parking in Bantry as a trader
Please note that, unless you are allocated a trading space in a pre-existing parking bay in Bantry, you may not park your vehicle anywhere near your stall, other than for set up and take down. Parking is provided for traders around the harbour wall around the inner bay on the SuperValu side of the bay.
Please do not park anywhere else or in the SuperValu car park as it is highly likely you will receive a parking ticket during the day.
If you are allocated a space in a parking bay, please only park within your allocated trading bay and be respectful of other traders and also visitors to Bantry who may need the parking space.
For all traders, when parking around the square, whether as part of your trading bay or just when setting up and taking down (if you are on the square), please be respectful of other traders who need to do the same at the beginning and end of the day. There have had instances where traders have left their vehicles around the square after finishing setting up or taking down and then go off and do their shopping. This is clearly unfair to other traders.
Bantry Market Traders Association
Bantry market also has its own organisation that act in the interest for all traders who have a Casual Trading licence. Bantry Market Traders Association provides support and assistance to traders.
The committee also organize events throughout the year to help promote the market and are active on social media. Further details about the BMTA can be obtained from any member of the Management Committee. Please see the BMTA page for more details.
The BMTA work with other local organisations, including the Bantry Business Association (who represent retailers and other businesses in Bantry) to make Bantry work for everyone.
The BMTA also operate a daily public liability insurance scheme which is available to traders who do not have their own public liability insurance. See the Daily insurance for traders section for more information.
Our website has a facility to allow all traders to have their own page. Once you have your casual trading licence, contact a BMTA committee member for a form. We will then email you details and it is up to you how much or how little information you have on your page. You are in control of this and can change it yourself whenever you wish.
Further information for food traders
If you are starting a new food business or trading a market, you will need to register with the HSE. This will be a condition of obtaining a Casual Trading License for Bantry Market for all traders selling food as well as street food traders.
Useful information on this and safety and other requirements you will need to follow can be found on the Food Safety Authority of Ireland website and also on the HSE website.
You should be aware that the HSE do random checks at markets, including Bantry, to ensure that all food businesses are registered and can therefore be inspected for compliance with food safety legislation and guidelines.
We hope you find this information useful. If you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to contact a member of the BMTA Management Committee. Details can be found on the BMTA page. You can also send your comments via email or contact us on social media. Links are at the top and bottom of every page.