Anyone organising a street party to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III needs to be aware of a number of key rules, according to legal experts. Chris Hopkins, a Regulatory Law barrister from No5 Barristers’ Chambers has offered his views on how to avoid a turf war.
Chris said: “The Coronation of King Charles III will be a first for many in the UK and as a result, people may choose to celebrate by holding a traditional street party with their neighbours and fellow residents. To ensure you get to spend the bank holiday weekend enjoying the festivities, here is everything you need to know so you don’t accidently end up in trouble with the law.
“If you’re planning on hosting a party on your street, you will need to contact your council or local authority to get their permission to close the road. It’s best to do this as soon as possible as areas may require you to fill out some permission forms for them to process. There usually isn’t an issue to secure this approval as long as you do it before Saturday, May 6, although the sooner the better.
“Letting your local council know that you want to close the road for a street party will prevent any uncomfortable visits from officials wondering why vehicles cannot access the area. It will also mean that they can inform emergency services to avoid the route when travelling to someone in need. In case a guest at your event does require medical assistance, it’s best to have volunteers on standby to move any obstacles that might prevent an ambulance from gaining access. Once you’ve secured approval, it’s best to get some signage to state that the road is closed for vehicle use. Your council may be able to help by providing these.
Entertainment & noise
“As a street party is a neighbourhood event, it’s easy to assume that many if not all local residents will be in attendance. You can play music using household speakers so long as it doesn’t disrupt others although it’s sensible to ensure it’s turned off during quiet hours. The same goes for using fireworks to celebrate the event. If you believe some residents won’t attend, it may be neighbourly to warn them so they can plan their day accordingly.
“Where you could run into some legal issues is if you choose to hire a stage and band for the event or if amplified music becomes a main part of the day. Remember, street parties must only be for local residents and neighbours. Festivals and other events advertised to the wider public or professionally organised are unlikely to count and other requirements will apply.
“Music may not be your only entertainment held at the event. If you’re planning on holding a raffle or tombola, you may be surprised to hear that there are rules you must abide by or you may have to apply for a licence. Selling tickets before the event itself and making the announcement of the winners the main attraction could get you into legal trouble if you don’t have the necessary licence to do this. All profits generated from sales should also go to a charitable cause and not be kept as private profit. The best course of action is to only offer tickets on the day and make the tombola or raffle a fun side game alongside the celebrations.”
Food & drink
“If you want to avoid any issues when it comes to food and drink at your street party, then it would be best to tell guests to bring their own snacks and refreshments themselves. Another way is to offer everything free of charge, although this isn’t always feasible.
“If you want to sell food and drink at your event then you may need to register with your local authority as a Food Business Operator (“FBO”) although this often isn’t required for a one-off event. Registration should typically be done 28 days beforehand to give the council time to review the application. If you have any questions or are unsure about what is required, then it may be best to reach out to your local authority for advice on how to proceed.
“Like food and drink, selling alcohol at the event will likely require an alcohol licence from your local authority. Alternatively, you can make it a ‘bring your own’ event. An alcohol licence and registration as a FBO are two different processes that you will need to complete separately. Although you won’t be responsible for any other adults in attendance, it would also be good to remind guests to not engage in drunk and disorderly behaviour as the day goes on. Remember, it’s a neighbourhood event!”
Finish times & clean-up
“As the celebrations continue, to ensure you don’t disrupt others, it’s best to move the street party elsewhere once quiet hours begin often after 11pm. Failing to abide by this could result in a visit from the police to ensure the law is being respected.
“As the organisers of the event, you are responsible for any clean up that may be needed on the following day. If you secured a road closure notice from your local authority, then you will be expected to ensure cars can use the road again once the agreed closure ends. This includes making sure there is nothing blocking access and removing any signage. You will also be responsible for disposing of any litter that may have been left behind. This should be an easy task to reopen the street if a group of you organised the event.
“Hopefully with this advice, you’ll be able to plan an amazing street party for your neighbourhood to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III. If you’re unsure on certain elements of your event, it’s best to check the government website or reach out to your local authority who may be able to advise on how you should proceed.”
