Application and Trading Terms: Key Information
The Enchanted Winter Garden Trader Handbook sets out the full terms and conditions of applying and trading. Download the handbook here.
The following sections summarise the main requirements. Please read these alongside the full handbook before submitting your application.
1. Applications and booking confirmation
Submitting an application does not guarantee a trading place. Urban Events must approve your application and confirm your approved dates, products, facilities and fees in writing.
If your application is successful, you will receive an offer and payment instructions. Your booking is confirmed when you accept the offer and pay in full by the stated deadline.
You must also provide all required compliance documents before you can trade. Unpaid pitches may be offered to another trader.
Any exceptions or changes to your booking must be agreed with Urban Events in writing.
2. Trading dates and opening hours
Enchanted Winter Garden takes place at Antrim Castle Gardens on the following 19 dates in December 2026:
- 2–6 December
- 9–13 December
- 16–22 December
- 27–28 December
Trading hours are 4.30pm to 10pm each day.
You must be ready to serve at 4.30pm and remain open until 10pm on every booked date. Full-period bookings include 27 and 28 December.
You must not close, pack away or leave early without permission from Urban Events. Low sales do not excuse non-attendance or early closure.
Tell the event team immediately if illness, staffing problems, equipment failure or stock shortages may prevent you from trading.
3. Fees and payment
Your total booking cost comprises:
- Your pitch fee.
- Cabin hire, where applicable.
- Electricity, where applicable.
- The cleansing fee.
- A £250 refundable security bond per pitch.
Pitch, cabin, electricity and cleansing charges are plus VAT. Your written offer will confirm the total amount payable and your payment deadline.
Where electricity is included in your cabin package, the included supply will not be charged again. Any additional supply must be agreed and paid for separately.
4. Local business discount
Eligible businesses based in Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough receive a 10% discount on the pitch fee, subject to verification.
You must provide food business registration evidence or a business rates bill showing your business address.
The discount does not apply to cabin hire, lighting, electricity, cleansing or the security bond.
5. Approved products, menus and prices
You may sell only the products approved by Urban Events, at the approved prices.
Your application must include a full menu or product list, prices and photographs. Food menus must clearly describe portion sizes and any chargeable extras.
You must obtain written approval before adding products or changing prices or portion sizes. Display prices clearly, including any VAT and compulsory charges.
Food traders must provide their agreed festive special and family meal deal or sharing bundle. Hot savoury traders must offer a vegetarian or vegan option unless an exception is agreed.
Council employees presenting valid staff identification receive 25% off personal purchases, including meal deals unless an exception is agreed.
Product approval does not give you exclusive rights to sell that product unless this is expressly confirmed in writing.
6. Trading units and pitch allocation
You must trade from your approved trailer, truck or cabin. Gazebos and tents are not permitted.
Declare the full dimensions of your setup, including tow bars, serving hatches, canopies, steps, generators and external equipment.
Urban Events allocates pitches according to the site layout, safety requirements and available services. Requests for particular locations are not guaranteed. Pitches may be moved for safety or operational reasons.
You must not share, sublet or transfer your pitch without written permission.
7. Setup, deliveries and vehicle movements
Follow the setup, delivery and removal times issued in your trader information pack. Non-trading vehicles must be off site by 3.45pm.
Trading vehicles must remain stationary while the public are on site. After closing, wait for permission from site management before moving vehicles or bringing vehicles into the trading area.
Keep pedestrian routes, emergency access and neighbouring pitches clear. Do not damage the grounds, trees or heritage features.
8. Electricity, generators and hired facilities
Declare all appliances, power requirements and connections in advance. You must stay within your approved electrical supply and obtain approval before adding or changing equipment.
Only authorised electrical staff may connect traders to the site supply or alter the installation. Equipment must be safe and suitable for the conditions.
Generators require advance approval. Do not assume that overnight electricity, refrigeration, water or storage is available unless confirmed in writing.
Cabin layouts, cooking equipment, gas appliances and heaters require approval. You must not alter or damage hired facilities.
Report faults immediately and have a plan to protect food safety if power or equipment fails. Nobody may sleep overnight in trading units.
9. Insurance, documentation and safety
You must provide the required documents by the stated deadline and keep them valid throughout setup, trading and removal. These include:
- Public liability insurance of at least £5 million.
- Appropriate product liability and employers’ liability insurance where required.
- Risk assessments and fire risk assessments covering your operation.
- Gas inspection and electrical safety records, including PAT evidence where applicable.
- Food business registration, hygiene information and food safety documentation where applicable.
- Any licences or permissions required for your products or activities.
Food traders must maintain safe temperatures, handwashing, cleaning and allergen controls. Keep relevant records and allergen information available on site.
Provide suitable firefighting equipment and store gas cylinders safely. Do not refuel or carry out hazardous work among the public.
You must cooperate with authorised inspections, follow emergency instructions and report accidents, hazards and faults immediately. Trading may be stopped until a safety or documentation issue is resolved.
10. Staffing, conduct and customer service
Provide enough trained staff, stock and equipment to operate throughout the evening, including cover for staff breaks.
You are responsible for your staff’s conduct and must ensure they understand the event rules.
Treat customers, other traders and the event team respectfully. Abuse, harassment, discrimination, violence and working while impaired by alcohol or drugs are not acceptable.
Accept cash and card payments and have a plan for payment-system failure. Handle complaints about your products or service promptly.
Keep queues within the agreed area. Follow instructions for inclusive evenings and do not use amplified music or flashing effects without permission.
11. Cleaning, packaging and waste
Keep your unit, pitch and surrounding area clean throughout the event.
Use approved biodegradable serving packaging suitable for the event’s waste arrangements. Polystyrene, plastic cutlery—including compostable plastic cutlery—toothpicks and cocktail sticks are not permitted.
Take bagged trade waste to the designated collection point. Do not leave waste around your pitch or use public bins for bulk trade waste.
Do not pour oil, grease, wastewater or chemicals onto the ground or into drains or watercourses.
The cleansing fee contributes to litter picking, clearing and wiping shared tables, and coordinating waste in the trading areas. It does not replace your responsibility to clean your own pitch.
Leave your pitch and any hired facilities clean and clear at handback. Report existing damage when you arrive and any damage caused during your booking.
12. Trader cancellation and non-attendance
If you cancel, reduce your booked dates or fail to attend, your booking fees are non-refundable.
Tell Urban Events as soon as possible. You cannot arrange for another business to take your place without written approval.
Cancelling does not automatically mean you lose your security bond.
13. Event changes, closures and refunds
Outdoor trading may continue in rain, cold or other suitable winter conditions. Poor weather, low attendance or low sales do not automatically entitle you to cancel or receive a refund.
Urban Events may suspend, change or stop trading where required for safety or operational reasons. Follow official instructions.
Where a cancelled evening is rescheduled to an equivalent evening at Antrim Castle Gardens between 2 and 28 December 2026, your booking transfers without an additional pitch fee.
For whole evenings cancelled because of weather or safety and not replaced, the following refunds apply:
| Total cancelled dates within your booking |
Pitch fee refund for each cancelled date |
Power refund for each cancelled date |
| 1 |
No refund |
No refund |
| 2 |
No refund |
100% |
| 3 |
50% |
100% |
| 4 or more |
100% |
100% |
The final number of cancelled booked dates determines the applicable refund. Refunds use the daily fees actually paid after discounts. For full-period bookings, the relevant package charge is divided by 19.
Delayed openings, temporary pauses and early closures do not count as whole cancelled evenings. Substantial reductions in trading time are considered under the major-change provisions.
If the whole event is cancelled before opening without an equivalent replacement, booking charges and the bond will be refunded, subject to any justified damage deduction.
If the event is abandoned after opening, refunds cover pitch and power charges for remaining cancelled dates and other services not supplied.
A substantially different venue, date, trading period or trading opportunity requires your agreement. If you do not accept a major change, or your compliant pitch is withdrawn without alternative, the affected part of your booking that is not provided will be refunded.
Installed and available cabins and lighting remain payable for individual cancelled evenings.
Refunds will be explained and we aim to pay them within 20 working days of the final event date, or sooner where possible. Refunds do not cover stock, wages, travel or lost profit arising from circumstances beyond our reasonable control.
14. Refundable security bond
The £250 bond per pitch is returned after the event, to your original payment method,
subject to inspection and any applicable deductions.
The current deduction schedule is:
| Reason |
Deduction |
| Damage to ground or property caused by your operation |
Reasonable, evidenced repair or cleaning costs. Existing damage and fair wear are excluded. |
| Disposal of waste fat, product or cooking material on grass |
£75 per incident |
| Failure to open on a booked date without permission, other than 27 or 28 December |
£50 per date |
| Failure to open on a booked 27 or 28 December without permission |
£250 in total, not per date. No additional £50 deduction for the same absence |
| Opening late or closing early without prior approval from Urban Events |
£75 per incident |
| Selling unapproved products or charging unapproved prices |
£10 per recorded incident, not per sale, with a reasonable opportunity to correct the issue before a further incident is recorded. |
Attendance deductions do not apply to official closures or approved absences. Circumstances will be considered reasonably, without charging twice for the same loss.
A deduction will be communicated by email and to staff working in your pitch.
The bond balance will be returned within 14 working days of final pitch clearance and inspection. Any amount still held will be explained.
Fixed deductions are limited to the bond balance. Further damage costs for which you are legally responsible may be invoiced separately.
15. Failure to follow the terms
Urban Events will normally explain a problem and give you a reasonable opportunity to correct it.
Serious or continuing breaches may result in sales being stopped, trading being suspended or your booking being ended. Serious safety risks, violence, unlawful activity, deliberate false information or repeated serious breaches may result in immediate removal.
Closing or leaving early without permission is a breach of the trading terms.
Where your breach causes suspension or removal, the event-cancellation refund arrangements do not apply and you will forfiet all fees paid.
Serious or repeated breaches may affect future applications.
16. Responsibilities and communication
You are responsible for your business, staff, products, equipment and trading operation. Urban Events remains responsible for its own duties.
Visitor numbers, sales and profit are not guaranteed. Secure your stock and equipment; site security does not guarantee against theft or damage.
Keep your contact details current, read the trader information pack and check event updates before travelling.
Booking queries should be sent to tradersupport@urbaneventsni.com. Report urgent on-site issues directly to the event team.
Necessary booking information may be shared with the Council and authorised delivery partners in accordance with the privacy notice.
Nothing in these terms excludes liability that cannot legally be excluded. Northern Ireland law applies.
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