Environmental Health and Trading Standards support safe and enjoyable Christmas events

Article date: 8 December 2025

But it's important that residents, businesses and community organisations remember the steps they must take to ensure festive markets and seasonal events are safe, welcoming and compliant.

With several independent Christmas markets and events being planned across the borough, the council's Environmental Health, Trading Standards and Markets teams supporting organisers, stallholders and volunteers with a range of proactive guidance.

Planning a Christmas Market or Event?

Anyone organising a Christmas event with five stalls or more must apply for a markets licence - regardless of whether the event is charitable or commercial. Enquiries can be directed to: themarketsteam@sthelens.gov.uk

Food Safety Requirements

Event organisers must make sure that all food and drink vendors meet legal food safety requirements. This includes:

• Ensuring all food businesses are registered with a local authority. Local businesses can register here: https://www.sthelens.gov.uk/article/1943/Food-hygiene-and-safety
• Checking that all vendors have a Food Hygiene Rating, ideally 3 or above, via: https://ratings.food.gov.uk/
• Ensuring that traders provide accurate allergen information and have appropriate controls in place: https://www.sthelens.gov.uk/article/3276/Allergens
• Following the Food Standards Agency's guidance on community and charity food provision:
  https://www.food.gov.uk/safety-hygiene/providing-food-at-community-and-charity-events

For further advice, contact: environmentalhealth@sthelens.gov.uk

Trading Standards Guidance

Trading Standards works closely with event organisers to prevent issues before they arise. If problems occur, organisers may be asked to remove unsafe or incorrectly labelled products from sale.

Vendors must ensure they trade in a fair, safe and legal manner, including:

• Complying with product safety legislation:
  https://www.businesscompanion.info/en/quick-guides/product-safety
• Properly labelling all food products:
  https://www.businesscompanion.info/en/quick-guides/food-and-drink
• Following safety advice for candles and wax melts, available from the British Candlemakers Federation:
  https://www.britishcandles.org/documents/www.britishcandles.org/Trading_Standards/candlesadvicepack(2020).pdf

Organisers and traders are encouraged to refer to www.businesscompanion.info for clear and reliable advice across a wide range of business activities.

For Trading Standards enquiries, email: tradingstandards@sthelens.gov.uk

Cllr Trisha Long, Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities, said:

"Trading Standards are working closely with the organisers of independent events in St Helens, and by providing this general advice ahead of time, we hope to keep things running smoothly. By following this guidance, organisers can help ensure their festive event is safe, enjoyable and meets the consumer standards we would all expect."

Cllr Tracy Dickinson, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Environmental Services, added:

"Environmental Health plays a key role in keeping our festive celebrations safe. From food hygiene to allergen controls, our teams are here to help organisers understand what's required and to support them in creating safe and successful Christmas events for everyone."

Additional Resources

The Food Standards Agency has launched a national Christmas campaign offering tips for safe food preparation and handling throughout the festive season. Find more information, alerts and recall updates at: www.food.gov.uk/here-to-help