Guildhall Christmas Market 2025

Stallholder information and application 

Guildhall main image 1084x610

08 Dec 2025 to 09 Dec 2025

London

For all enquiries, please contact with us on GuildhallMarket@redcross.org.uk

Held every two years in a spectacular historic setting, the Guildhall Christmas Market is the City's original Christmas market. Across Monday 8 and Tuesday 9 December 2025, approximately 2,000 guests will visit Guildhall to do their Christmas shopping in style and raise funds for the British Red Cross's vital work supporting people in crisis. 

The market hosts over 80 luxury stalls. Visitors include City workers, the City of London livery community, community groups, tourists, and the general London public. 

Please read all the information on this page before applying.

Application form

The event

Grand Opening (Monday 8 December 2025) 

The opening night sees the market officially opened by the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of London alongside their guest of honour, typically a member of the royal family. 

The market opens for trading throughout the evening following a welcome drinks reception in the Guildhall's beautiful Art Gallery. Around 600 people are expected to attend the event, including corporate sponsors and partners, the City community, and members of the public looking for a special experience and early shopping access. 

Market Day (Tuesday 9 December 2025) 

A full market day follows the introductory opening night, where 1,000 to 1,500 people attend throughout the day to browse and buy. As well as enjoying the stalls, they can take part in our silent auction and raffle, book a splendid festive lunch or afternoon tea in the atmospheric Guildhall Crypts, or enjoy a bite to eat from the Crypts cafe.

Commercial stallholder rules and regulations

Application process 

Please fill out the online form to apply for a stall after reading the below rules and regulations for stallholders at the market. If your application is successful, a copy of the rules and regulations will be emailed to you for your reference. 

If you have any difficulty filling out the form or questions before you apply, please get in touch with the British Red Cross Event Lead Jess at jessicamolyneux@redcross.org.uk. Please note that applications will not be processed via email - all details should be recorded in the form. 

The British Red Cross Event Lead and organising groups (‘the Market Team’) will consider your application and the suitability of your stall. We will let you know if your application has been successful, unsuccessful or put on a reserve list if your stall type is already well-represented.  

The deadline to apply is 1 July 2025, but please note that we will be reviewing applications as they come in so you may wish to apply earlier to avoid disappointment. 

If your application is successful, the deadline for submitting all documentation including the Guildhall’s supplier handbook, Public Liability Insurance, and a risk assessment is 1 September 2025. Your spot is not confirmed until payment has been made and these documents have been received. 

Event timings 

The event is the Opening Night on Monday 8 December 2025 from 16.30 to 21.00 and the Market Day on Tuesday 9 December 2025 from 10.00 to 19.00 (together, ‘the Market’) at Guildhall, Gresham Street, London, EC2V 7HH.  

Provisional timings set out are below: 

Monday 8 December 2025 

  • 10:00 – 15:30 Each stallholder will be allocated a half hour slot to access the Guildhall loading bay to drop off their stock. Stallholders can then set up their stalls in the Great Hall. All stalls must be staffed and ready for trading no later than half an hour before the Event opens (provisionally 16:30). 
  • 17.00 – 21.00 The event will open with a drinks reception in the Art Gallery and the market itself will open for trading to members of the public an hour following (provisionally 18:00 but please note that this is will be confirmed closer to the time). 

Tuesday 9 December 2025  

  • 10.00 Stallholders return to Guildhall to be ready for trading no later than half an hour before the market re-opens
  • 10.30 – 19.00 Market day, open for trading to members of the public 
  • 19:00 – 23:00 Stallholders pack up and depart 
  • Stallholders must have their stalls set up and be ready to trade at least half an hour before the Market opens on both days. 

Please ensure you bring enough stock to trade from your stall for the duration of the Market. In the event that you sell out of stock early, please speak to a member of the Market Team who will approve an early closure. In all other circumstances, a £50 early closure fee will be charged to stallholders who pack up early. This will be paid during the clear-out after the Market has closed on Tuesday 9 December. 

Payments  

A single stall costs £150 plus 10% of your gross takings at the Market. A double stall costs £300, plus 10% of your gross takings at the Market. A stallholder may apply for a maximum of two stalls.  

If your application for a stall has been successful, you will receive an invoice, which must be paid within 28 days of the date of the invoice. You will be given details for a BACS transfer – if you are unable to pay this way please contact the Market Team to discuss alternatives . 

Your place will not be confirmed until full payment has been received. If full payment has not been received within 28 days then your stall place will be allocated to another trader. If this happens, you will need to apply again if you still wish to participate in the Market. 

If you fail to comply with the stallholder rules and regulations set out here, the Market Team reserves the right to cancel your place at the Market. In such circumstances no refund will be given. 

No refunds will be given for stallholders who pull out of the event after payment 

No refunds will be given unless the Market is cancelled by the Market Team. 

The Market Team shall not compensate stallholders in the event that the Market is cancelled or rescheduled for reasons beyond its control, but stallholders will be offered a guaranteed place in the next suitable/comparable Event. If the Market is cancelled by the Market Team for any other reason (which is very unlikely), stallholders will be offered a guaranteed place in the next suitable/comparable Event and refunds will be considered in exceptional circumstances. 

Sales commission fee

  •     By applying to take a stall at the Market you agree to pay a Sales Commission Fee of 10% of your gross takings at the Market to the British Red Cross at the end of the final day of the event. Your gross takings will include all orders taken by you whilst at the Market.
  •     You must keep clear records of all takings on the day and share these with the Market Team to support the 10% calculation. Please note that 10% of gross takings means before deduction for costs of stock, staff, and so on – it is not gross profit. In the event that a stallholder underpays or underdeclared, future applications to trade at the Market will be denied.
  •    Payment of the Sales Commission Fee will be taken during clear-out on Tuesday 9 December, after the Market has closed. The Market Team will have card readers for to take contactless payments; alternatively you can pay by cheque or mobile bank transfer but you must come prepared to do so on the day. Payment MUST be made on Tuesday 9 December so please ensure that you have a valid payment method ready (for example, if you are paying by bank transfer please ensure you have appropriate mobile banking provision and request bank details in advance). A £100 late payment fee will be charged to any stallholders who do not make their payment on the evening.
  •   A card receipt will be provided if you pay by card or the Market Team can provide an email receipt if you use another method. Invoices for this payment can be made retrospectively if needed.

Personnel

  •     You must nominate a person in charge of your stall who must be detailed on the registration form. There will be numerous stalls taking part in this Market and it is not possible for us to deal with more than one person from each stall.
  •    The person in charge of your stall must keep us up to date with any change of details and must ensure that all documentation is submitted by 1 September 2025. No changes to personnel are permitted less than three weeks prior to the Event. This is an important hire condition to ensure that the Market runs smoothly.
  •    Each stallholder may have up to two people helping on their stall, or in the case of double stalls, four people. These helpers must be named on your supplier handbook. Each stallholder and helper will be checked in on arrival and given a wristband to wear. Any additional attendees will have to pay to enter the Market and will only be allowed in during trading hours.
  •     Any person attending the Guildhall may be asked to produce acceptable proof of identity, and must comply with all Guildhall security procedures and instructions.

Publicity and promotion 

A digital marketing pack will be provided to all stallholders with approved materials for use. Please wait to receive this before promoting your participation in the Market. 

You will be asked to provide a 400x400 px JPEG photo and description of up to 10 words about your stall to be included in the online event catalogue. If we don't receive the photo by 1 July 2025, we will create an entry for your stall using a library stock photograph. It will not be possible to change this entry after this has been done.  

Stall specifications   

  • Indoor tables are booked either as single stalls with a 6’ x 3’ (approximately 2m x 1m) table or double stalls with two 6’ x 3’ tables.  
  • Please note that space is very limited and there is no additional space at the side of stalls for rails and shelves. Therefore if you need additional space outside of your 6’ x 3’ table you may wish to book a double stall. Alternatively you may wish to bring your own table and railing that will fit inside the 6’ x 3’ space. No additional items for your stall can be provided or permitted. If your stall extends beyond the 6’ x 3’ space you will be asked to remove it.   
  • Backing boards and wall spaces are limited, therefore you may only request one or the other, but not both. Please note that nothing can be attached to the walls.  
  • All requirements submitted by stallholders in their application form will be taken into account as far as possible by the Market Team, who will be in touch if there are any issues in accommodating your requirements – so please ensure that everything you need is clearly detailed in the application form. A final floorplan will be circulated approximately one month prior to the event. Please note that this floorplan is final and swapping or moving stall plots will not be permitted on the day because the floorplan will be printed on the market map for guests. There are no discernible patterns from previous Markets to suggest that stalls in certain positions perform better than others, so please don’t worry about this! 
  • You will need to include your power requests on the application form, especially if you are powering anything large or unusual. Please make sure to include lighting details because additional lighting should be avoided where possible to avoid fire risk.  
  • All electrical items used on your stall must be in good condition, PAT tested within the last 2 years and marked accordingly.  
  • Stallholders must ensure that no electrical equipment is used in such a way that it damages or interferes with the electrical installations or fabric of the Guildhall.  

The Guildhall is a Grade I Listed building. Stallholders must not: 

  1. Fix anything to the structure or contents of the Guildhall 
  2. Mark, damage or soil the structure or contents of the Guildhall
  3. Touch or lean against the walls, pictures or sculptures, and take particular care around the monuments 
  4. Paint or construct any object or structure inside the Guildhall 
  5. Remove barriers or enter restricted areas 
  6. Leave anything in the way or obstruct an emergency exit, emergency stairwell or any notice of an emergency exit. 

All equipment must be free-standing and set up at least 500mm away from the fabric of the building and any statues or monument.  

 

Documentation 

  • By applying for a stall, you confirm that you will complete a full risk assessment for your stall and submit this on or before 1 September 2025. 
  • Stallholders must have suitable and adequate insurance to cover their trading activity, including public liability cover – evidence of which must be provided on or before 1 September 2025. 
  • The Market Team will provide a copy of the Guildhall’s supplier handbook for you to fill out, sign, and return. 

Loading and parking   

  • Arrival times are limited and all stallholders will be asked to drop off their stock at a specific time during the morning or afternoon of Monday 8 December 2025. Stallholders will be allocated a time slot on a first-come, first-served basis and each stallholder will be given a maximum of half an hour to unload. The Market Team will provide a small number of volunteers to help stallholders unload their stock. Security at the Guildhall is extremely tight so please ensure that all the details in your supplier handbook are all correct. 
  • Departures after the Market closes on Tuesday 9 December 2025 will also be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Once you have packed up your stall, a member of the Market Team will advise when you can bring your vehicle into the Yard to load. All areas of the Guildhall must be cleared and vacated no later than 23.00 on Tuesday 9 December 2025. There is no option to leave stock, equipment or other items beyond this time. Anything not removed by this time will be removed and disposed of. Stallholders MUST take their rubbish or dispose of it in the bins provided before leaving.  
  • Car parking is limited in the City and we advise stallholders to arrange their parking in advance to get the cheapest rate possible. Unfortunately the Market Team is unable to arrange parking, but we recommend the following car parks: 
  1. Aldersgate Car Park (For vehicles up to 1.98m in height)158 – 170 Aldersgate Street, EC1A 4HR
  2. Minories Car Park (For vehicles 1.98m – 4.26m in height)1 Shorter Street, London, E1 8LP 

Remember that you will need to pay your congestion charge for every day that you’re driving in and out of the City. Please also check and pay any ULEZ charges. 

Catering and facilities  

There will be free tea and coffee facilities available, with access to drinking water, for stallholders to make their own drinks for the duration of the Event. We are unable to provide food to stallholders, so we advise stallholders to bring plenty of food for the duration of the Market. 

Stallholders are advised that during the Grand Opening champagne will be served, but this will be for ticketed guests only. On the main market day there will be paid café facilities in the Crypt. Venue security staff will be present during the Market, and a cloakroom will be available for stallholders to use. 

Wi-Fi   

The Guildhall has Wi-Fi access and the Market Team will provide you with the password. However, due to the age of the building this sometimes presents a problem, so please do come equipped to accept alternative payment methods in the event of that Wi-Fi facilities are unavailable. 

Other stallholder conditions

  •    No stalls are permitted to sell fur, other than in vintage products. If your stall displays or offers for sale any products made from real animal fur you will be asked to remove them. The Market Team reserves the right to cancel your place at the Market if you do not comply with this condition.
  •      Stallholders are not permitted to run their own raffle, auction or other collection of money other than selling stock.
  •      Live or recorded music and other performances are prohibited during the Market opening times.
  •      No dry ice or any water vapour may be generated or used as part of any special effect.
  •    All stallholders are responsible for keeping their stall area in a clean, tidy and safe condition, disposing of all rubbish regularly during and at the end of the Event. This is an important condition of hire, and the Market Team reserves the right to cancel your place at the Market or recover any costs incurred if you do not comply with this condition.
  •     Stallholders are responsible for ensuring the security of their items.
  •     Any items left on the site overnight will be at the stallholder’s own risk and stallholders are encouraged to ensure they have adequate insurance cover in place.
  •    Neither the Market Team nor the venue can accept responsibility for the theft, loss or damage of stallholders’ property. It is the responsibility of the stallholders to ensure they have adequate insurance cover in place.
  •    Stallholders must conduct themselves in a professional and orderly manner at all times and must not act in any way that would cause offence to guests or staff at the Market
  •    No hazardous substance, article or item may be brought into the Guildhall. This includes anything that may create a risk of fire, explosion or release of noxious gases, or in any other way create a health and safety risk to occupants of the Guildhall or neighbouring properties.

Application form

Here for Humanity 

Help people in crisis: no matter how hard it gets at Christmas, we’ll never give up. 

By taking a stall at the market, you are supporting the British Red Cross's vital work supporting people in crisis. Whether it’s in the UK or abroad in Gaza, Lebanon, Sudan and Ukraine, it feels like the Red Cross has never been needed more.  

Through conflict, flooding or food shortages and fires, families and communities are facing unimaginable hardship. And winter only makes it harder. It would be easy to give in to despair. But we will never give up.  

No matter how difficult or dangerous things get, the British Red Cross is ready to face these challenges, bringing comfort and aid when all hope and humanity feels lost. We are working tirelessly in the UK and abroad to provide vital support like shelter, food, water and medicine to people in desperate need. 

Your contribution to the market will help us to be here for humanity – responding to emergencies, planning for future ones, and building strong, resilient communities in the UK and around the world.