Most stallholders count the stall fee and the petrol and call it done. The gap between that estimate and reality is usually £20–40 a day — which, on a day that breaks even at 9 sales, is another 3–5 sales you didn't know you owed. Here's the full list.
The stall or pitch fee — £20–35 for a typical UK day fair, £50+ for bigger events, £150+ for festivals (food pitches run £200–2,000 per event). Table and gazebo hire if not included — some venues charge £5–15 extra for a table, and outdoor pitches may require your own weighted gazebo. Public liability insurance — many fairs require it; annual policies for craft sellers run £50–80, so per-fair it's small but real. Float — not a cost, but £40 of change locked up for the day.
Mileage at the real rate — fuel-only maths flatters the trip; 45p/mile is the standard figure that covers fuel, wear and depreciation. Thirty round-trip miles is £13.50, not "a bit of petrol". Parking — £3–10 at town venues, and stallholder parking isn't always free. Food and drink — the £8 you'll inevitably spend because you can't leave the stall.
Card reader fees — 1.69% (SumUp) to 1.75% (Square) of every tapped payment. Half a day's takings by card at those rates is small per transaction and visible by day's end. Packaging — bags, tissue, cards; 20–50p per sale if you do it nicely. The stock itself — materials per item is the obvious one, but count seconds and damage too: the mug that chips in transit was still made at full cost.
Total the fixed items, know your true per-item cost, and get your break-even number before you book — then judge the fair against it afterwards with real data. One number, written in your notebook before each fair, turns "that felt like a good day" into an actual answer.
Figures verified August 2026; fees and typical prices change. Not financial advice.