Pitch Information
We are seeking to appoint a sole bar supplier with a full setup, including, but not limited to an expansive serving bar equipped with draft pumps and fridges to run the festival 'Rhu-Bar'.
If you operate a unit that doesn't serve alcohol, please submit your application using the Rhubarb Festival Food & Drink Vendor application form.
The bar area for this event will be located in a temporary marquee structure located on the Bull Ring in Wakefield City Centre.
There will be one sole operator appointed to the event.
The bar provider will need to be able to facilitate the following:
- Bar counter structure to serve from
- Provide a menu of alcoholic, soft and Rhubarb themed drinks to be sold for consumption on site only.
- Provide all staff, equipment, and supplies to deliver the bar provision competently and safely throughout the event. Please note we do not have access to any drinking water on the precinct, any water required must be brought along with you.
- Apply for the Temporary Event Notice (TEN) to cover the licensable activity for on site sales only.
- You will need to provide your own fridges, and any other equipment required.
- Ensure good housekeeping within the marquee during event opening hours including supplying internal waste bins and ensuring the tables are cleaned and cleared regularly.
- Operate the bar during the event hours of 10am-5pm Friday & Saturday, and 10am-4pm on Sunday.
What’s already provided:
- A fully heated and decorated marquee structure providing seated capacity for approx. 100 people.
- As part of the offer the Council will provide the electricity supply and 24/7 security cover.
- WDMC will contract a cleaner to clean the area on a morning before the event begins, there will also be euro bins on site for you to dispose of waste from this area.
- Tables and chairs will be provided in the marquee
- Stage, AV & technician to manage the live music programme.
Supporting Documentation
All applicants will be required to supply the following supporting documentation (where applicable). Please ensure you have them ready to upload when you start filling out the application form.
Public Liability Insurance
A copy of your Public Liability Insurance Certificate (the Council requirement is a minimum of £5 million cover). Please note this is different to Employers’ Liability Insurance.
Risk Assessment
Businesses with less than 5 employees are not legally required to have a risk assessment. If you employ 5 or more employees you will need to submit a risk assessment.
Please refer to HSE website for more information: https://www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/risk/index.htm
Evidence of Environmental Health Registration
Proof of food business registration with your local Environmental Health Service. This is required for all persons/businesses who provide/sell/serve/handle or produce food and/or drinks (including alcohol).
For information on how to register please see the Government website: Register a Food Business
Please provide your most recent inspection date and your food hygiene rating (where applicable for your type of food business).
Please note that applications will only be considered for businesses that have been awarded a 4 or above under the National Food Hygiene Rating Scheme.
Where food and drink products form part of an event, we may share relevant information with internal Council services, including Environmental Health, where this is necessary to fulfil our regulatory and public safety responsibilities.
Local Authority Environmental Health Services are responsible for enforcing food safety, food standards and health and safety legislation at events. This may include undertaking inspections, compliance checks and other regulatory interventions before, during or after an event.
Food Management System
Food traders must ensure that the food and drink they sell is safe to consume and protected from contamination or degradation at every stage of food processing, from the purchasing of products/ingredients, delivery and storage through to food preparation and service to customers.
It is a requirement of Regulation (EC) 852/2004 for food traders to have a written Food Safety Management System in place, based on the internationally recognised principles of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP). Examples of suitable systems include:
- The NCASS Safety Management System
- Food Standards Agency Safer Food, Better Business (SFBB)
- Food Standards Agency Scotland Cook Safe Manual
- Company-specific HACCP based systems
Allergen Management
Stall holders serving food or drink must have undertaken a risk assessment for allergen management and have full, effective procedures in place to control the risk of food intolerances or allergy. For more information, please see Allergen guidance for food businesses https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/allergen-guidance-for-food-businesses
Allergen information must be available to consumers at the event. Stallholders must provide this information to consumers in the following formats: information sheets, signage, menu boards or verbally by staff. Where specific allergen information is not available on display then the stallholder must have a sign to explain how it can be obtained.
Personal Licence
Please provide a copy of your personal licence which clearly shows your unique ID number and photograph.
Training Records
Stallholders should ensure that all food handlers are supervised, instructed and/or trained in food hygiene matters to a level appropriate to their work activity.
Food handlers must have completed the Food Hygiene Level 2 Training as a minimum. Copies of these training records should be available for inspection.
Fire and relevant safety Certificates
PAT Test Certification - Operators must ensure all electrical equipment has been PAT tested and provide current documentary evidence.
Gas Safety Certificates (where applicable) - carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer qualified to work on the equipment you are bringing to site.
Photograph(s) of Products and Bar Set-Up
The presentation and appearance of your bar is important as is the goods you are proposing to sell. The online application process requires you to upload photos of your bar set-up and products.
Application Closing Date
Applications will close at 11:45pm on Sunday 11th October 2026.
Once applications have closed, if any of the above documents have been submitted incorrectly or are missing, the application will be treated as incomplete and you will not be given preference during the selection process.
Late applications are accepted at the discretion of the organiser and will be placed on a waiting list.
Notification of Application
All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by Friday 23rd October 2026.
Application Criteria
We are seeking an aesthetically pleasing bar vendor offering a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic refreshments which also includes a rhubarb theme, at a fair price.
In order to ensure both quality and fairness we will be using a scoring framework to mark all trader applications.
All applicants will be scored by a panel of three Council officers against 6 areas listed below. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure they complete the online application in full and attach the supporting evidence.
Applicants final score and commentary from the panel is available on request, via email, following the outcome of their application. Please note that whilst we do welcome feedback via email, the decision of the panel is final.
In your application we would ask that you give details of everything you wish to sell onsite. Successful applicants will be advised in their offer to trade of any products listed on their application which cannot be sold. We are very careful to minimise product clashes across the site and selling products without prior authorisation from the Festivals Team will be considered a breach of the Terms and Conditions.
Applications will be judged taking into consideration the following critera as outlined below with each criteria scoring marks.
| Award Criteria |
Weighting |
Weighting Breakdown |
| Locality |
20% |
0% - The business is registered outside of the Yorkshire Region
10% - The business is registered in the Yorkshire and Humber Region
20% - The business is registered in the Wakefield District WF1 - WF12
|
| Repeat Trade |
10% |
0% - The applicant has not attended any of our events previously
10% - The applicant has attended between 1-3 events run by Wakefield Council’s Festival Team in the last 2 years
10% - The applicant has attended 3 or more events run by Wakefield Council’s Festival Team in the last 2 years
|
|
Themed Products/Themed Drink
(please see tips in the section below)
|
40% |
0% - No themed products/dishes listed in application
20% - The applicant will offer one product/drink which incorporates the events theme
40% - The applicant will offer a product/drink which is directly produced or manufactured by the applicant and incorporates the events theme
|
| Pricing & Product Offer |
10% |
0% - No evidence included with the application
5% - The applicant includes a product list
10% - The applicant includes a product list with prices to be charged at the event along, can also include supporting images.
|
| Dietary Options & Religious Requirements - e.g., gluten free, halal, kosher, lactose free, dairy free, vegetarian, vegan |
10% |
0% - The applicant isn’t offering any products to cater for any dietary or religious requirements.
5% - The applicant is offering one product which caters to at least one dietary or religious requirement and provides evidence of this.
10% - The applicant is offering multiple products which cater to dietary and/or religious requirements and must provide evidence of this.
|
| Ethical & Sustainable Considerations - offers reusables, biodegradables, fair-trade, vegan, local, seasonal or organic products/packaging |
10% |
0% - The applicant will not be offering any ethical or sustainable options.
5% - The applicant will be offering one or more ethical and/or sustainable option for the festival.
10% - The applicant will be offering one or more ethical or sustainable option for the festival and includes a detailed ethical and/or sustainability statement
|
| Total Score Available |
100% |
|
Themed Products/Themed Drink Tips
To achieve marks for the 'themed products/themed drink' criteria, please think creatively about your menus and offerings to complement the Rhubarb theme. Here are some ideas and suggestions for inspiration:
Serving options – e.g., Pink napkins or drink receptacles
Themed drink menu – e.g., Offer rhubarb cocktails, rhubarb beer, rhubarb gins etc.
Creative drink names – e.g., Ruby Rhubarb Cocktail