Street parties

Britain has a great tradition of communities coming together to celebrate national events by throwing a street party.

There are plenty of other reasons to throw a street party throughout the year, including The Big Lunch in early June, national holidays or just because you want to get together with your neighbours.

This guidance sets out what you need to think about so you can get cracking on planning your party.

Insurance cover

It is not anticipated that public liability insurance will be required for the majority of street parties, however it may be required in certain circumstances.

If you think insurance would be a good idea, have a look at the advice on the websites for Street Party and Big Lunch and shop around.

Quotes for insurance start from as little as £50, which can be split between people attending, or you could hold a raffle or ask for donations to cover the costs.

Risk assessments

Rather than a formal risk assessment, you should think about how you can minimise things going wrong. For example, planning for bad weather, using plastic plates and cups rather than glass, making sure an adult is in charge of the barbecue.

Serving alcoholic drinks

Licences are only required if alcohol is sold. Sharing drinks with your neighbours at a street party does not require a licence. If you do want to sell alcohol, you will need to submit a Temporary Event Notice.

Playing music

If your street party is a private party for residents and you’re not making money then there is no need for a licence. We recommend that you aim to finish by 9pm and consider limiting the volume if needed.

Serving food

No permit is required unless you want to sell hot food after 11pm. However you must make sure that any food provided is safe to eat. 

Permission for a tombola or raffle

If tickets are only sold on the day and the prizes are not worth more than £500 in total then it will be exempt. Alternatively, if you did want to raise some money, you can always ask people for donations.

Cleaning up

Yes, you will need to clean up. It’s your street, your party, so keep your local area clean and tidy. Let people know in advance what time the party will finish and have a section set aside for bin bags and recycling.

Closing the road

Any events that require a road closure or diversion may need a Temporary Road Closure Order from the local authority. These can take up to 8 weeks to process.

For local community street parties to celebrate nationally significant events, the council will not charge you a fee for this process provided it is in a residential non-through road location and does not cause significant access issues. In these circumstances the council may also loan you suitable road closure signage free of charge.

For a road closure, you should confirm where the closure will begin and end, and how you have consulted local residents about the event. If there are any objections, you should let the council know. You will also need to consider how you will maintain access for any emergency vehicles.

Alternatively, you can organise a gathering or 'Street Meet' on private land, such as a driveway or front garden, without any requirement for a road closure.