The Queen’s Jubilee is coming up on June 2nd, with the country set to celebrate all the way through the weekend until the 5th. As tradition demands, we’re likely to see street parties up and down the country with neighbours coming together to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee in style. As a private road owner, you may already be considering throwing a street party of your own, but are you fully prepared? From understanding the difference between event types to making sure you have the right insurance, here is our guide to what you need to know about throwing a street party on your private road.
What Kind Of Event Will You Be Hosting?
First thing’s first, you need to determine the kind of event that you’ll be hosting. While ‘Street Party’ might feel inclusive, the UK Government lists differences between private street parties and larger public events. Determining the difference can help you ensure that you are maintaining the right arrangements for each situation. The differences include:
Private Street Parties |
Larger Public Events |
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Generally speaking, street parties and events taking place on private roads will be considered ‘private street parties’ and due to the private nature of the land, may not need the same level of council or government intervention. It’s important to understand the differences, however, as some licences, insurances and permissions may still be needed.
You May Need To Extend Your Insurance
If you own private roads, you likely already know about Private Road Insurance – if you don’t, or don’t currently have a policy, it is certainly a policy worth considering. Private Road insurance protects you against any claims made against you for injury or damage to third party persons or property while on your land. However, whether you have an existing policy or are looking to take one out for annual protection, you may need to consider extending the policy to cover your street party. This may mean extending your cover to protect larger numbers of people, or to include cover regarding the consumption of alcohol – if you are unsure what your current policy includes or what additional coverage may be needed, get in touch with our team for more information.
Speak To Your Neighbours First
Before organising any kind of street-wide event, the first thing you can and should do is speak to your neighbours. Not only will it help you determine the likely number of people that would attend a street party, but it can help you better direct the organisation according to your neighbour’s needs. Some neighbours may not wish to attend for various reasons, while others might like to be involved in the organisation according to their needs and requirements. Having this conversation first can help you avoid any hurdles along the planning route.
Consider Any Licences You May Need
For small events, there are very few licences that you could need. According to the UK Government website, The Licensing Act 2003 states that you do not need a music licence for street parties, though the exception will be if the event is being held with the purpose of playing amplified music. Selling alcohol will require a licence, which you can get on a temporary basis for a one-off event. If you don’t plan to sell alcohol, you won’t need this licence.
Similarly, any food sold at a one-off street party doesn’t require a licence, but the FSA (Food Standards Agency) does advise that you should follow all food preparation guidelines in order to serve safe food.
Check If You Need To Inform The Council
In most cases, it is likely to be safer to inform your local council if you plan to close your private road in order to hold a street party. While private access roads aren’t usually accessed by the general public and you have control over when you close your private land, the council can benefit from the knowledge that the road will shut. They can ensure that emergency services are aware of the closure in order to provide the best routes in emergency situations, as well as ensure diversions are put in place if your road is usually open to the public.
For more information about how Private Road Insurance can protect you during street parties and whether you need to extend your insurance to cover this, please get in touch with a member of Ashburnham Insurance. We’re on hand to help.