The Isle of Wight Council wants to make it as easy as possible for people to join in or host their own celebrations for HM The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Wherever we have the power to do so we have removed red tape, bureaucracy however statutory rules and fees remain in some areas outside of our control.

We have put a number of measures in place to help residents, such as waiving road closure
and land hire charges to help reduce some of the requirements for planning small scale events.

Street parties and fetes are a great way to get to know your neighbours and can bring people of all ages together.


What counts as a small street party or fete?

Events that are for residents/neighbours only, where publicity is limited, the events are self-organised and are for less than 500 people.


Do I need a licence?

If you plan to sell items such as soft drinks, barbecue food, flags etc then you can do so without a licence as long as any profits go to a charity or good cause.

If a professional trader, such as a burger van/market stall/ice cream van etc is involved in your event, then a licence will need to be obtained.

If you plan to sell alcohol you must obtain a licence.

If tombola or raffle tickets are sold on the day and the prizes are not worth more than £500 in total then gambling regulations do not apply. If your raffle prizes are worth more than £500 then you may need to register your raffle as a lottery.

Please check with the council’s licensing section by calling (01983) 823159.


I would like to hold an event in a council car park. Is this possible and will I be charged?

This will be looked at on a case by case basis depending on how heavily the car parks are normally used at this time of year, and whether there is sufficient nearby alternative parking (taking into account people attending such events).

Where a car park is considered a suitable location for an event, no charges will apply.


Can I hold an event on any green open space?

The council manages numerous parks and open spaces – many of which are available for people to hire under the amenity land application process (normally at a charge).

For Diamond Jubilee celebrations, in most cases there will be no charge to make use of the land but event organisers will still need to complete an application form for consideration. It is worth contacting the council’s commercial services section to discuss your requirements before making the application. It may also be a good idea, depending on the size and nature of your event (e.g. if you have any activities on offer where people might be at risk of injury), to consider taking out public liability insurance.  The cost for this can vary but can help prevent costly claims should an incident occur. For information about amenity land hire please contact commercial services on (01983) 821000.

The council does not own all open spaces on the Isle of Wight so you will need to make sure you obtain permission from the person who owns the land before proceeding with your event.


Will I need to close the road and if so how do I organise that?

If you are planning to hold a party on a public highway then you will need to apply for a formal road closure.

The process has been simplified and for the Diamond Jubilee all charges have been waived for residential street parties.

To apply for a road closure you will need to complete the application form below and return it to the council’s highways team. If you have any questions you can contact them on 823777 or email [email protected].

Formal road closures mean the council has a record of the events taking place so that information can be shared with the emergency services should an incident occur.

On the day of your event you will need to erect your own barriers and road closure signs. A limited number are available free of charge from the council’s contractor on a first come first served basis. Contact the highways team for details.

If an event is organised by a business or classed as a larger public event then normal charges will apply.

Please print and complete the form, return it by post or email to the addresses detailed on the form.


What do I need to do to ensure public safety?

As organisers – of small or large events – you will want all those involved to take precautions so that they don’t injure themselves or others.

For smaller events no formal risk assessments are required although it is a good idea to list things that could go wrong and what you could do to avoid them, as part of your planning process. For a useful safety checklist for your event please click here.

It may also be a good idea, depending on the size and nature of your event (e.g. if you have any activities on offer where people might be at risk of injury), to consider taking out public liability insurance. The cost for this can vary but can help prevent costly claims should an incident occur.


Can I decorate my road with banners, flags and bunting?

Although the council is legally obliged to manage anything overhanging the road for the purposes of safety, it is recognised that bunting, flags and banners are a traditional feature of street parties.

For major national events – such as the Diamond Jubilee or Olympics – the council has reduced the ‘red tape’ associated with the process.

As long as the road is closed to traffic and the event is classed as a small event (as described above), then no special licence is required. We request that you notify the highways team on (01983) 821777 if you plan to decorate your street so we know that someone is responsible for removing the bunting before the road is reopened.

When erecting bunting, banners or flags please consider the following:

We plan to play music – do we need an entertainment licence?

If you are holding a small street party for neighbours only, and you are not making money from the event, there is no need for a licence for the music.

Tastes in music, volume and how late this is played can vary widely so please consider people not attending your street party when planning your event!


Street party check list

The safety check list can be found here.

Useful websites

http://www.streetparty.org.uk/
Games, food and music ideas on the Big Lunch website Opens new window
Organising a firework display
Firework safety and the law
Using candles, decorative lights and decorations safely
Fire safety - barbecues, camping and the outdoors


What if I am planning to hold a larger event?

If you are planning to hold an event that is open to the general public, that has organised publicity and the involvement of professional event organisers or a business then there are additional considerations and slightly more paperwork involved to protect the safety of large numbers attending.

In the first instance you will need to complete an application for a Temporary Event Notice – click here for more details. You will also need to complete more formal risk assessments and will be required to take out public liability insurance.

For more advice contact the council’s licensing section on (01983) 823159.