Street parties

Sreet parties and fetes are a traditional part of community life; they are a simple way for us to get to know our neighbours and meet members of our community.

We want to make sure that you have a fun and enjoyable day and hope that this information will enable you to do so

Organising small private street parties and fetes can be very simple and generally does not include activities that need a licence. However, if you want to sell alcohol or intend to provide entertainment to the wider public, or charge to raise money for your event, you will need a Temporary Event Licence (TEN).

Differences between a street party and public event

The main difference between a small street party or fetes and larger public events are listed below:

Street parties and fetes:

• for residents or neighbours only
• publicity to residents of your street and any other street or business which could be affected
• self-organised

Larger public events:

• anyone can attend
• external publicity (such as newspapers)
• could be a ticketed/paid for event

Closing a road for a street party

If your street is used by through traffic you will need to send us a traffic plan. This must show how much of the road is to be closed and an alternative route for traffic.

The Council will make contact with emergency services and relevant bus companies on your behalf. We'll also check with Surrey County Council that no road works are planned and that surrounding roads are still accessible.

Please ensure you include this information in your street party application form.

Signage

If you are granted permission to close the road you will need to put up appropriate signs to inform road users. The Council does not have road signs that you can borrow and recommends that you hire appropriate signs from a local hire centre. A selection of local hire centres can be found on the yellow pages website.

Insurance 

The Council requires public liability insurance cover to be taken out by event organisers with a minimum cover of £10 million. Insurance starts from as little as £50. The costs can be split between residents or you could ask for donations to help cover them.

Larger public events attracting more people will require a different process. If you intend to hold a larger event you should begin by reviewing our organising a community event or street party webpages.

Risk assessments are not normally required for small events. However, one may be required if the road you intend to close provides access to a wider residential area.

Other considerations

You should ensure that:

• emergency services can get access if they need to and if at all possible, someone trained in first aid is on hand.
• food should be prepared in a hygienic manner and stored at an appropriate temperature.

Cost

There is no fee for this service.

How to apply

If you want to hold a small street party or fete you will need to complete a street parties application form.

The completed form should be returned with road closure requests, maps, drawings, insurance and any other information requested.

You should submit your application as early as possible. However, please allow eight weeks minimum before the day of the event.

Please note, your application will be sent to the Council's Licensing Team who will assess whether you will need a Temporary Event Notice (TEN). They will advise you by email if this is required. It is your responsibility to obtain a TEN, if required, and this will be at your own expense.