Street parties

Events

Please read the Street Party Guidance, this will give you an idea of things you need to consider when planning a street party. Visit the Street Party site for more information.

The application form can be found below. Organisers will need to complete a risk assessment for the event.

Public Liability Insurance is not covered by the council but the council believes that you should have some public liability insurance cover just in case anything unthinkable happens at your party and somebody is seriously injured resulting in claims against you. This will come at a small cost to you and is available through many different insurers if you decide to take out a policy. Hampshire Highways may request the organiser to have Public Liability Insurance to close the road

If you plan on hiring in facilities such as caterers or bouncy castles, you will also need to send across copies of their Public and Product Liability Insurance and risk assessment to events@basingstoke.gov.uk.

If your event involves any licensable activities (for example, the sale of alcohol), you will need to apply for a Temporary Event Notice (TEN).

If you have any queries regarding your street party, please contact events@basingstoke.gov.uk.

The deadline for Coronation street party applications is Friday 21 April 2023.

Help to organise a street party

What do you need to do?

Firstly you need to talk to everybody in your street to find out if they want to hold a party. It may be a good idea to send round some paper invitations and ask people to reply or you could knock on doors to talk to people face to face. The main thing is to know that your neighbours want to have the party otherwise things might be difficult for you. You must also be clear about the distinction between a street party and a public event. If you are going to publicise what you are doing to attract the general public then the implications are very different and you should seek further advice from the events team.

Keeping residents happy

Once you have agreed what you are going to do, when and where it is going to be and have permission to do so, you will need to consider how you are going to promote it to those people you would like to attend. A flyer through the door or a poster may suffice. Make sure you put a contact telephone number and name along with all other relevant details on the flyer. It is also good practice to notify the police of your party and to arrange some form of first aid cover. If you do receive any objections, this will need to be resolved by the organiser.

Getting permission

There are some very informal gatherings that will not require any permission at all. For example, if a few people decide to go to a local park or open space and have a picnic together then that is casual use and does not require permission. Parties in the street will require permission from the council and certainly any events that for example involve the erecting of structures and closing the road will certainly require permission. If you aren’t sure then seek advice from the events team before you make any plans.

To encourage street parties, the council has adapted and simplified its application form for organising events on its land and it can be found on this page. This will give the council some basic information about what you are planning and the details of any roads you may need to close. If any further information is needed, either the events team or highways team will give you a call to discuss your plans. Once all the information is in place you will receive a letter of agreement granting permission for your party which will need to be signed by you and returned to the council by the due date before full permission is in place.

This letter will contain some terms and conditions that must be adhered to but the events team will already have explained these to you so there shouldn’t be anything unexpected. If you need to close the road, your road closure order will be sent to you shortly before your event.

Where will you hold the party?

In many cases the street is the best place to bring communities together as it is on everybody’s doorstep but it depends on the nature of your street. If it is a cul-de-sac or quiet street with easy alternative routes then that is ideal but if it is a busy road, possibly with bus routes then it will be more difficult and you could consider alternatives such a local park or open green space.

Things to consider:

How many people will be coming to the street party?
Are there any community halls or green spaces that may be used?
Are there any cost implications?

Planning for the party

You need to find a few people that are keen to help you out so it does not all fall on your shoulders. You will need their help and it will make the planning more enjoyable. You could get the whole street to get together so you can find out what people actually want to happen at their party. The more they are engaged and have an input the more successful your party will be.

What activities should you organise?

This is entirely up to you and your neighbours and it may depend on the nature and characteristics of your street. Think about activities that will bring people together and encourage them to interact and get to know each other. Think about activities that will engage people of all ages and backgrounds as they are unlikely to all like the same thing. Consider getting neighbours to deliver an activity of their own so they are making a contribution and helping reduce the workload on you. You can just co-ordinate it to ensure that you have a range of activities. What about children’s games or a family quiz? What about friendly competitions such as the best cake or guess the person in the baby photo? You could run a raffle, bring and buy or tombola to raise a little money to pay for the party or be given to a good cause. Background music could easily be provided by a CD player or speaker. You will also need to think about what sort of music you intend playing. Mobile discos are expensive, from £150 plus, but may be necessary. Is there a group, band or musician, that live locally, who could be used? You will need to think carefully about how you are going to pay. The possibilities are endless so use your imagination and see where it takes you.

What food should you have?

There are a number of ways you can go about providing people with food. They could bring and eat their own, or everybody could bring certain dishes or products that can be shared amongst everybody. You could provide a barbecue and either cook food for people or invite them to cook their own. Is there somebody in your street that has catering experience and carries food hygiene certificates that can help you? Whatever you do, you just need to think how it can be done safely and consider the food that you are having and the impact that hot weather, for example, might have on keeping food fresh and edible. Also give some thought to people with any special dietary requirements or allergies to ensure that they can be catered for. People can be asked to provide their own crockery, glasses and cutlery. Or, at a cost, you could provide plastic or paper equipment, or even consider hiring from a local shop, pub or restaurant.

Decorating the street?

Your street can be brought to life by the use of bunting, banners and fags. They can be purchased but why not consider getting the community to make their own. Think about where you will put them and how you will fasten them. It is very easy to fall off a ladder so consider a safe way of doing it. You don’t want people getting hurt. Hampshire County Council is responsible for granting permission to hang bunting. To encourage street parties, the county council has removed the need to apply for a licence and obtain the necessary insurance as long as it is a small scale street party and that the road is closed. The county council does request that you complete a form online to give information on what you are doing.

Do you need a licence?

If you are thinking about selling alcohol, putting on musical entertainments (live/recorded music), or selling hot food or hot drinks after 11pm then you should contact the events team who will be able to advise you on the specific nature of what you are planning. A Temporary Event Notice is required when your event includes alcohol sales or musical entertainment forms a substantial part of the event.

Please contact Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s Licensing Team for more detailed information regarding licensing criteria and requirements. They will be happy to discuss licensing matters and whether or not your proposed event requires licensing authority. Please call 01256 844844 or email licensing@basingstoke.gov.uk.

Road Closures

If your event will require a road closure, you will need to make a formal application for a road closure. You will need to supply a plan of the proposed closure/diversion route and indicate who will be undertaking the signing work. Advance notification signs may also be required. The temporary traffic regulation order costs will not apply for a simple street party providing the event is well publicised.

For events where you expect more than 500 people to attend, you may also be required to contact the Safety Advisory Group (SAG). Details about this can be found on the Hampshire County Council webpage.

Please feel free to contact engineering@basingstoke.gov.uk should you have any questions regarding road closures for your event.