Trading at race meetings
To trade at a race meeting, contact the circuit or the organising club well before the date, ask how trade space is allocated, and send your insurance and product details with your application. Each venue and series sets its own terms, so confirm them in writing.
Who to ask for a pitch
Start this process early. Popular meetings and well known circuits often have limited trade space, and organisers may begin taking applications well ahead of the season. Keep a short email template ready so that each application is quick to send.
Trade space at a race meeting is normally handled by the circuit itself or by the club or series running the day. Look at the event page for a trade or concessions contact, and email with a short description of what you sell. Motorsport UK is the governing body for the sport in the UK, and its website lists the clubs and championships that run meetings.
How space is allocated
Organisers allocate space in different ways. Some give fixed pitches to regular traders, some run an application round for each meeting and some limit the number of traders selling the same product. Ask which approach applies, how big the pitch is and where it sits in relation to the paddock, spectator areas and entrances.
What to send with your application
- A short description of your products and your price range.
- Photos of your stand and the vehicle you will arrive in.
- A copy of your public liability insurance certificate.
- Food registration details if you sell food or drink.
- Your stand dimensions, so the organiser can plan the layout.
Prepare for a long day outdoors
A race day can mean many hours on your feet, so plan food, drink, sun cover and warm layers for your team.
Race days start early and the weather decides how busy it gets. A sturdy gazebo with weights on every leg, side walls and a plan for wind are sensible. The outdoor event checklist covers the kit to pack.
Know your audience
Race crowds include families, club members and committed fans. Many of them buy at the moments between sessions, so stock items that are easy to pick up and pay for quickly. Our guide to products that sell at motorsport events gives ideas.
Check the rules and the insurance
Circuits have site rules on vehicle movement, noise, generators, access times and clearing the pitch at the end of the day. Read the trader pack carefully. Many organisers also ask for insurance cover, and our guide to motorsport event insurance explains what is usually requested.
Keep records of your results
Records also feed into your tax paperwork, so keep your receipts and daily takings in order.
After each meeting, note the pitch fee, your takings, your costs and how busy the day felt. Add a line on the weather, the crowd and the position of your pitch. After three or four meetings you can compare venues and series with real figures, and you can tell the organiser what you need when you apply again.
Good records also help when an organiser asks for references or last season's trading history. A short, honest summary of the events you have attended shows that you take the work seriously.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a trade pitch at a race meeting?
Contact the circuit or the organising club, ask how trade space is allocated and send your product details and insurance certificate with your application.
Do I need insurance to trade at a race meeting?
Many organisers ask for public liability insurance before they confirm a pitch. Check the trader terms for the level of cover they want.
Can I choose where my stand goes?
This is normally decided by the organiser. Ask about pitch locations when you apply and say what footfall you hope to reach.
What time should I arrive on race day?
Organisers set access times for traders and usually ask you to be set up before the gates open. Confirm the times in your trader pack.
Marquees for larger events
Race meetings and large shows often call for more cover than a single gazebo. Gala Tent makes modular marquees for festivals and events.
Useful pages on our sister sites
Event Industry Trader is published by Gala Tent. These pages from Gala Tent and the wider Gala group go further on the kit, branding and payments covered here.
Where to check the rules
Rules vary by council and by event. Confirm requirements with the organiser and the relevant authority before you act.