Bring the Community Together with These Street Party Tips
Whether it's for a coronation or a national sporting achievement, here are our tips for a royally good street party!
2 minute read
A royal event is always a good reason to celebrate, and there are plenty of ways in which you can join in. From street parties to street meets, we’ve included some tips for you to make the most of the occasion.
Street parties are a great way of bringing the local community together. You don’t even need a licence to organise one, but you might need to let your local authority know by filling in an application form. Plan early and think about how to divide up the tasks.
Do you need a road closure? Get in touch with your local council at least six weeks in advance to ensure there’s plenty of time for it to be approved.
While road closures for street parties can be chargeable, the government generally discourages this. You can challenge any charge you’re met with if needs be. Some councils will even lend you road signs and cones. If not, you’ll be able to hire them.
What’s more, the only licence you’ll need to worry about is a Temporary Events Notice, but only if you plan on selling alcohol, food or have an advertised performance. There’s no requirement for public liability insurance either, but if you are concerned and think it will be a good idea, you can always shop around. You don’t need a food licence, as a street party is a one-off event that isn’t considered a food business. You’ll just need to make sure that all food is properly cooked and safe.
Don’t want to or unable to apply for a road closure? You can always just have an informal street meet if you live in a cul-de-sac or even just on the pavement if room allows. Manage the space effectively by moving any cars and put up bunting for decoration and demarcation. Depending on how many will be in attendance, you might be able to gather in your local park without permission from your council as long as you have no music or a barbecue.
On the day, remove cars in the morning and set a time for when to sit down to have something to eat. Knock on doors to make sure everyone knows they’re invited. Put up the traditional bunting. Make sure there’s plenty of activities to be getting on with, so children can play while adults talk. The important thing is to organise and plan with your neighbours. Use gazebos if you think they’ll be useful. Bring chairs and tables. Conduct a quiz. Create a colouring station. Run a raffle or lottery with donated prizes. Draw a hopscotch on the pavement or road. Host a bake-off. Create a themed playlist. Challenge your neighbours to a race or a game of football, skittles, etc. The point is, you can really make this street party exactly what you want it to be.
Afterwards, keep in contact on social media. Post your photos in the area and online, expressing how much fun it was. Conduct a survey for how it all went, and maybe even start organising the next event.
