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Market traders sell goods like food, clothing, crafts, artwork and antiques. They also offer services, such as mobile phone and watch repairs.
You could work: in your own business; managing your own hours
As a market or street food trader, you could:
You could work on a market stall, on festival sites or on the streets.
Your working environment may be physically demanding and outdoors in all weathers.
You can get into this job through:
You could do a college course, which may help if you're setting up your own business.
Courses include:
You could start by working on a stall part time at an indoor market, pop-up events, craft markets, seasonal markets or festivals.
You'll learn on the job from experienced traders, sharing their knowledge and watching their sales methods. Once you've got experience, you could apply to set up your own stall.
You can contact your local council for information on licensing rules and how to apply for one of their market stalls. You may have to rent a stall on a casual basis before you can apply for a permanent pitch.
You could check your local further education college as they may run short self-employment courses. They can also direct you to community organisations in your local area that help people who want to start their own business.
If you're between 18 and 30 years old, you may be able to find help and support to set up a business through the King's Trust.
You'll need to:
Do your research on what sells well. You may have an advantage if you're offering something different from other traders.
You can find useful short courses, advice and free resources online to help you start your own business.
You can learn more about becoming a market trader and setting up your business through the National Market Traders Federation and Nationwide Caterers Association.
You could expand your business by taking on more staff and starting up new stalls. You may wish to open a permanent retail outlet if there's enough demand.
You might also move into market stall lettings and management.