Market adverse weather policies: what councils write

Gust limits

• Edenbridge Town Council (March 2025): professional gazebos tolerate gusts of up to 40mph. Garden type gazebos cannot be used in wind speeds of 26mph or more. No gazebos or structures go up in gusts of 41mph or greater, when flat trading is allowed instead.
• Salisbury City Council (2023): the same tiers, with 27mph for garden type gazebos.
• St Albans City and District Council (June 2022): the market closes at a Met Office yellow warning where speeds or gusts are predicted to reach 35mph or above.
• Bromsgrove District Council: its gazebos on a floor anchor system may only be used in wind speeds not exceeding 25mph. It ties this to the manufacturer's specification and to keeping its insurance valid.

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; St Albans City and District Council: Market Inclement Weather and Exceptional Circumstances Policy, adopted 21 June 2022; Bromsgrove District Council: Management of Markets in Severe Weather Policy (undated)

Tiers between open and closed

Edenbridge and Salisbury step down in stages rather than switching from open to closed.

• Gusts of 26 to 35mph: only professional grade gazebos or structures, secured with adequate weights. Salisbury asks for at least two people to each stall when putting up and taking down.
• Gusts of 36 to 40mph: gazebos cable tied to vehicles, posts, bollards or each other, with trader vehicles allowed on site as a wind buffer.
• Gusts of 41mph or greater: no gazebos.
• Salisbury also stops setting up or taking down when its officer believes conditions, generally in excess of 35mph, put traders or the public at risk.

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

Who decides and when

• Edenbridge: the market officer checks the forecast the day before. The process starts if gusts over 26mph are forecast for any time in the next trading day, including setting up and taking down.
• Bromsgrove: a decision by 4pm the day before for food traders and by 5am on the day for all other traders, after a site visit.
• St Albans: a yellow warning issued more than 48 hours ahead waits for a decision until 48 hours before the market.
• Salisbury: the market officer monitors gusts through the day with a wind monitor and can close the market if conditions worsen.

Sources: Edenbridge Town Council: Market Gazebos and Structures including in Adverse Weather Policy, adopted 3 March 2025; Bromsgrove District Council: Management of Markets in Severe Weather Policy (undated); St Albans City and District Council: Market Inclement Weather and Exceptional Circumstances Policy, adopted 21 June 2022; Salisbury City Council: Salisbury Charter Market Adverse Weather Policy, March 2023

What a warning changes

• St Albans: the market manager must consider closing at any yellow warning. A same day yellow warning for reasons such as flooding, heavy snow or extreme heat may close it too.
• Bromsgrove: a red warning cancels the market in its entirety. A severe weather warning in itself is not a reason to reduce or cancel.
• Edenbridge: a severe weather warning in itself is not a reason to cancel. The officer judges the prevailing weather.

Sources: St Albans City and District Council: Market Inclement Weather and Exceptional Circumstances Policy, adopted 21 June 2022; Bromsgrove District Council: Management of Markets in Severe Weather Policy (undated); Edenbridge Town Council: Market Gazebos and Structures including in Adverse Weather Policy, adopted 3 March 2025

Staff, fees and records

• Bromsgrove sets three trained staff as the absolute minimum to put up and take down the market in high winds. It keeps a weather diary so a decision can be justified on historical evidence.
• St Albans refunds the full pitch fee for a closure before noon and 50% after noon.
• Edenbridge charges no fee if the market closes before 3 hours have elapsed.
• Bromsgrove may waive or reduce fees when weather cancels part or all of the market.

Sources: Bromsgrove District Council: Management of Markets in Severe Weather Policy (undated); St Albans City and District Council: Market Inclement Weather and Exceptional Circumstances Policy, adopted 21 June 2022; Edenbridge Town Council: Market Gazebos and Structures including in Adverse Weather Policy, adopted 3 March 2025

Snow, ice and heat

• Edenbridge: officers may close the market for snow. Groundstaff clear a safe access path and the market officer may spread grit to open.
• Salisbury: main footways are cleared of snow where appropriate. The officer can cancel or close early after a dynamic risk assessment.
• Bromsgrove: food traders may trade only up to a maximum of 30 degrees through the day. Above 35 degrees staff take down sheets and tables and leave the gazebos until the next morning.

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; Bromsgrove District Council: Management of Markets in Severe Weather Policy (undated)

What to put in your own

• The gust figure for each type of gazebo or structure you allow, from its manual. Where you have no figure, check your certificate or manual before you set one.
• Which forecast you check, when and who decides.
• What a yellow, amber or red warning changes, if anything.
• The tiers between open and closed, with the weights and ties each needs.
• Staff for a quick take down, pitch fees and how traders are told.
• Snow, ice and heat as well as wind.
• A log of each decision and the forecast behind it.