Skip to sub navigation Skip to main content
Show menu

Test trading opportunities

Are you ready to turn your passion into profit?

Ashfield District Council are providing people with an opportunity to develop and try out their business ideas trading to the public.

Our Test Trading places provide 4 days free trading as a guest at the following local markets, subject to availability:

Benefits to your business

  • Trial your products at an established market
  • Gain feedback from customers and visitors to your stall
  • Help to refine your sales and marketing approach
  • Reach a broader audience
  • Have peer support
  • Make money
  • Increase your visibility to local consumers.

Eligibility criteria

  • Must be a resident of Ashfield.
  • Aged over 18 years.
  • Not have traded in the declared line of goods before
  • Be interested in setting up a brand-new business.
  • Or have an existing online business that they now wish to interact with general public.
  • Must not have a physical High Street presence in Ashfield.

Expression of interest

If you meet the eligibility criteria and would like the opportunity to test your business idea, email our Markets team. Please put ‘Test Trading Opportunity’ into the subject box on your email.

If you are accepted by our Markets team, they will provide you with an opportunity to visit some of our local markets and receive advice on what you might need to help you start trading. Once you know this you can also apply for a small grant to help you become market ready.

Opportunity terms and conditions

When receiving a stall from Ashfield District Council, traders automatically sign up to the rules and regulations of the market set out in the trader’s permit, the code of conduct and Market byelaws. We will provide details of these to all successful applicants, and we will also pay for public liability insurance to cover 4 days trading at our markets under this scheme. Participants can also apply for a small grant of up £500.

There is a small grant available, if:

  • you want to start your own business
  • you are on not engaged on any other business start-up programme
  • you have a business idea (or ideas) that you want to test
  • you are prepared to commit time and energy to testing your idea and trade for 4 full days at Ashfield markets.

How can you use your grant?

Use this grant to build knowledge about your business, market, or industry. This could be:

  • Test selling to understand if customers want to buy your product or service
  • Carrying out market research to help you understand who your customers are and how you can reach them
  • Working out how you will deliver your product or service, and the costs involved
  • Gaining skills, knowledge and experience to find out if this business is right for you
  • Towards materials (not stock or vehicles) that can help you to transport and set up trading at Ashfield Markets

For example:

  • Table
  • Fixtures
  • Banner
  • Tablecloths
  • Baskets
  • Card Reader and Phone or Tablet (for cashless payments)
  • Money belt or cash tin (for cash payments)
  • Clear protective sheets (protection against wind and rain)
  • Price and product cards/stickers
  • Various size clips (to attach sheets, table cloths, price and product notices, etc)
  • Weights (to secure the stall, products, display cases, etc)
  • Plinths and shelving units (at different heights and sizes to create layers of products)
  • Battery lights (to display and highlight products)
  • Branded protective clothing (such as aprons, t-shirts, etc to reinforce brand)

If selling food:

  • hand wash facilities
  • cool boxes
  • power banks, etc. 

We recommend test trading applicants speak with our Markets team to learn more about what you may need so that you can maximise on your 4 days of free trading.

How much is the Test Trading Grant?

You can apply for up to £500 to test your business idea:

  • We will ask you for quotes, a budget and a clear plan of how you will test your idea
  • The amount you are offered will depend on your test activities
  • You must use this grant within 3 months

You cannot make multiple applications

  • This grant can only be applied for once