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What Certificates Do I Need to Cater at a Festival?

by Eluned Stoner
(Bangor, Gwynedd, United Kingdom)

Festival food stall serving jacket potatoes to customers

Festival food stall serving jacket potatoes to customers

what sort of certificates do i need to to cater at a festival?

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Mar 28, 2026
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starstarstarstarstar 		Certificates You Need for Festival Catering
by: MobCater

Hiya Eluned,

Great question and jacket potatoes are a brilliant choice for festivals — low cost to set up, everyone loves them, and you don't need loads of equipment.

Here's what you'll need to get sorted before your first event.

Your Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate is the big one. Most event organisers won't let you trade without it. It costs about £20 online and takes a couple of hours — it's multiple choice so don't stress about it.

You'll also need to register your food business with your local council at least 28 days before you start trading. It's free and you can do it online through gov.uk. Since you're in Bangor, that'll be Gwynedd Council.

Get yourself a Safer Food Better Business pack from the Food Standards Agency — it's free and you'll need to fill it in and keep a daily diary. The EHO will want to see this if they inspect you at an event.

Public liability insurance is a must. Most event organisers want to see at least £5 million cover. It typically costs around £150-£300 a year depending on your setup.

If you're using gas (propane for your oven or baine-marie), you'll need a Gas Safety Certificate from a Gas Safe registered engineer. They'll inspect your setup and you need to renew it every year.

Some larger festivals will also ask for your Food Hygiene Rating (the score from 0-5 that the EHO gives you after inspection) and proof of PAT testing if you're using any electrical equipment.

The event organiser will usually send you a list of what they need — but the certificates above are pretty much standard for all of them.

This is general guidance for UK mobile catering. Rules can vary between councils, so always check with your local authority.

Disclaimer: This is general advice for UK mobile catering. Licensing rules vary between councils, so always check with your local authority's street trading or licensing team before you start.

Best of luck
David

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