Planning a street party

What is a street party?

A small private street party is:

• Only for residents/neighbours
• Only publicised to residents of the street or nearby
• On a quiet residential road, block of flats or local green space
• Self-organised

Most street parties will not need a licence or insurance.

However, you will need a Temporary event notice if you want to:

• hold an event that needs a licence on an unlicensed premises
• operate outside the terms of your existing premises licence

• selling or supplying alcohol
• regulated entertainment, including music, singing and dancing
• providing hot food or drink between 11pm and 5am

Apply for a temporary event notice

Alternatively, you can keep the road open and organise an informal ‘Street Meet’ on private land, such as a driveway or front garden, without any need to close the road.

Will I need to carry out a risk assessment

No formal risk assessment is required for Coronation Street parties. However, you should ensure that you consider all the risks involved and document these. This will help you to identify any particular areas where problems may occur and that you have addressed them. Documenting this process and demonstrating that you’ve prepared to mitigate risks offers you protection if something happens at your event.

You can get further advice from the Health and Safety Executive at Event safety - Getting started. Remember, you will be responsible for the safety of the event. Agree in advance that everyone should take responsibility for themselves and watch out for each other, especially children.

Is Public Liability Insurance required

There is no requirement from central government to have public liability insurance. However, it is your event, and the Council will not be held responsible for any damage to property, or injury to any person arising from or in connection with the street party. Therefore, it is for applicants to consider if they wish to obtain insurance for their own peace of mind.

Road closures

To organise a temporary road closure for your street, please aim to contact us at least 6 weeks in advance.

You’ll need to email us at events@braintree.gov.uk and we’ll send you an application pack.

You will need to fill in all these details and contact certain bodies to make sure there is no objections such as the Police, Fire, Ambulance and bus services.

Please provide a location plan clearly identifying where the closure will be. A properly designed diversion route will be required and you must supply a map of the appropriate diversion route and temporary signs for the layout to be approved by Braintree District Council, including how many and where any marshals will be situated stewarding the event.

A map must supplied showing the locations of the following;

• where all marshals are to be located stewarding the closure,
• the location of any temporary street furniture such as barriers, road cones or temporary a-frame signage
• and locations of any fire hydrants.

Signage must be clearly displayed giving sufficient prior notice and remain displayed during the period of closure. Removal of all signage is the responsibility of the applicant and it must be removed and disposed of correctly when the event is finished.

We cannot provide road signs, you can find advice about road signs on the street party website.