Apply to trade

Harbour Market Whitstable is situated in the working harbour of Whitstable, a unique, lively and thriving fishing town. The market is set on south quay next to the popular Harbour Cafe.

The market has 34 timber clad huts, some facing the harbour and those behind surrounding a communal area.

30 of the huts are 2.9m x 2.8m in size and are for permanent rental and 4 huts are 2.8m x 2m are for use of Pop - Up rental on either a weekend, weekday or weekly basis.

All huts are fitted with LED lighting, electric points and fire extinguishers.

We are a friendly community of traders who like to pride ourselves on a high standard of high quality products, helpful customer service and supportive attitude to each other.

For these reasons there is a selection process - to see if your products fit our criteria of being handmade/original and sold by independent traders.

There are 3 options for traders to apply for;

Pop - Up

Huts available for weekly, weekday or weekend rental.

Food Pop - Up

Hot food, 1 hut available on a monthly to 3 monthly basis.

Permanent

A yearly lease. Traders must open on our official opening days, please take a look below at our

opening times. These only become available when a trader leaves.

Invoice will be sent 2 months prior too booking. 

Trader Information

So that traders have some flexibility this will apply to 80% of their products/goods.

Trading Assessment/Conditions

All traders will be assessed on a points system.

All traders will be interviewed and their products assessed for quality, price, saleability and origin of product/goods.

Resellers or those not making their own products/goods must make sure that they are either Kentish made or British.

Food huts

Are required to provide a menu, along with either samples or photos of their products.

Traders must have all appropriate food hygiene as well as any other relevant certification available for inspection, as required by the local authorities. We suggest that all food huts have 4 signature dishes and will have exclusivity on these, but not on ingredients which are used in said dishes. Also the use of any potato or bread and variations of these products will be able to be used by all.

We hope that you will work together if certain things do crossover and come to an amicable solution, the final say if this is not possible will be up to the management.

We will advise traders on how to meet our criteria.

There will be exceptions to this criteria for old and new traders.

To help those with shops in the Whitstable and Tankerton area, who wish to apply, this criteria will be wavered and we will assess application on suitability to join the market, this we feel obligated to do to help local retailers and give them the chance to supplement their often exorbitant rents. However this does not entitle them to exclusivity of goods or products.

All traders must have public liability insurance for a sum of no less than £5,000,000. This will be checked regularly.

Opening times

January - February

Optional opening

March - April

Rents

Pop-up Huts

Please Note. 2 weekdays must be booked to achieve cheaper weekend rate.

Special Dates

Hot Food Pop-up 

Available to rent for 1 month - 3 months

Permanent Huts

Please contact us for further details [email protected]

These huts only become available when a trader leaves. We would suggest booking Pop-Ups, to see how the market would suit you and your product.

This form is also available in pdf format here.