Wind limit guide

Wind limits for gazebos and market stalls

There is no national wind limit for gazebos and market stalls. The figure comes from the manufacturer's manual and from the rules of whoever runs the pitch. This guide uses council market policies as examples of how those rules are written.

Why council policies

The MUTA Best Practice Guide covers marquees and other fabric structures. It says camping tents, awnings and gazebos are omitted from its scope. Council market policies are where published gazebo figures are found.

Source: MUTA: Best Practice Guide 2026

Gust figures in council policies

Edenbridge Town Council's market policy, adopted in March 2025, says professional gazebos will tolerate gusts of up to 40mph. For garden type gazebos it says manufacturer advice is that they cannot be used in wind speeds of 26mph or more. Salisbury City Council's 2023 policy gives 27mph for the same type.

Both councils will not allow gazebos or structures to be erected in gusts of 41mph or greater. Trading is then flat, without a gazebo.

Edenbridge also notes that wind speed, direction and turbulence are affected by the layout and height of surrounding buildings, so there is not one rule for all.

Sources: Edenbridge Town Council: Market Gazebos and Structures including in Adverse Weather Policy, adopted 3 March 2025; Salisbury City Council: Salisbury Charter Market Adverse Weather Policy, March 2023

How a market sets action levels

Both policies start from the forecast the day before. If gusts are forecast to exceed 26mph at any time during the next trading day, including erecting and dismantling, the process begins.

  • Gusts of 26 to 35mph: only professional grade gazebos or structures, secured with adequate weights. Trader vehicles may act as a wind buffer.
  • Gusts of 36 to 40mph: gazebos cable tied to vehicles, posts, bollards or each other. Edenbridge advises multiple weights on the four corners of a unit of 2m by 2m or larger.
  • Gusts of 41mph or greater: no gazebos are erected.

Sources: Edenbridge Town Council: Market Gazebos and Structures including in Adverse Weather Policy, adopted 3 March 2025; Salisbury City Council: Salisbury Charter Market Adverse Weather Policy, March 2023

Weights

Edenbridge expects every gazebo leg to be weighted, with weights of at least 12kg each and two per leg recommended.

St Albans City and District Council asks for a commercial or industrial grade gazebo with at least four weights of 12kg or more, one on each foot. When gusts of 35mph or greater are forecast, it asks for two interlocking weights per foot.

Sources: Edenbridge Town Council: Market Gazebos and Structures including in Adverse Weather Policy, adopted 3 March 2025; St Albans City and District Council: Using a gazebo at St Albans Market and at events

On the day

Salisbury's market officer monitors gusts through the day with a wind monitor and can close the market if conditions worsen. Traders must comply with that decision.

Source: Salisbury City Council: Salisbury Charter Market Adverse Weather Policy, March 2023

Weather warnings

St Albans' market policy, adopted in June 2022, says the market will be closed if the Met Office issues a yellow weather warning where speeds or gusts of wind are predicted to reach 35mph or above. Where the warning comes more than 48 hours before the market, no decision is made until 48 hours before.

Source: St Albans City and District Council: Market Inclement Weather and Exceptional Circumstances Policy, adopted 21 June 2022

Finding your own limit

Start from the manufacturer's manual for your gazebo or stall. If the market or pitch rules set a lower figure, that is the one to use.

If you have no manual, do not guess. Ask the manufacturer or the market manager.

How Gustline helps

Add each gazebo or stall type with the limit from its manual or from your pitch rules. Gustline alerts you when a forecast gust comes within 5mph of that limit, which is the same forecast gust a market manager checks the day before.

Gustline checks the Met Office site-specific forecast for the point you pin on the map, every six hours from a week out and every hour in the final three days. It compares the forecast gust with the rated limit you enter for each structure and checks the weather alerts you leave on for the event. When a level changes it emails and texts the people you choose. Every alert is logged with a timestamp.

Gustline is an early warning for planning. It does not replace checks on site on the day, the official warnings or your event's own plans.

Plans start at £19 for one event. A season pass is £99 a season and a year pass is £179 a year. It covers the UK only.

Set up alerts for your next event

Check the next 7 days of gusts at your site against a gazebo limit, free

The data behind this guide

Sources

Last updated 4 October 2026.

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