Apply to hold a street party or small community event, including licensing and street closures.
Street parties are non commercial get-togethers arranged by groups of residents for their neighbours.
| Street parties | Larger public events |
|---|---|
| For residents and neighbours only | Anyone can attend |
| Advertised only to residents | Advertised widely, such as newspapers and social media |
| Licences are usually not necessary if the music broadcast is incidental and alcohol is not sold | Licences usually required |
| No formal risk assessment needed, unless a road closure is required | Risk assessments are required |
| Self-organised | Organised by professional or skilled organisers |
Organising a small, private street party is very simple and generally does not include activities that need a licence, such as:
You will need a temporary events notice (TEN) if you want to:
Larger public events attracting more people require a different licensing process. If you would like to hold a larger public event, you can apply to host an event in one of our open spaces.
If you would like to close your street, you can request this when you apply to hold a street party.
To close a road for a reason other than a street party, go to public events on the road – Surrey County Council.
If your application is for a cul-de-sac or no through road, you should display a 'road closed' sign. The closure cannot be enforced if you do not display a sign.
If you need to find a sign, you could:
If your application is for a through road, and/or a traffic diversion route is required, you (or the borough on your behalf) should contact Surrey Highways for advice and agreement.
As an event organiser, you are responsible for certain legal liabilities. It is suggested that you get public liability insurance with an indemnity limit of £5 million.
We do not request that you undertake a risk assessment for a small street party. However, it is useful to think about how you can minimise things going wrong and have a back up plan.
For example:
We can provide you with a risk assessment template and guidance if you wish to complete one.
There is no need to apply for an entertainment licence if your street party is:
However, it is a good idea to:
You do not need a licence under the Licensing Act 2003 to sell food (unless you wanted to only sell hot food and drink after 11pm).
You do not need to apply for a small society lottery permit if tombola or raffle tickets are sold on the day and the prizes are not worth more than £500 in total.
However, if tickets are sold in advance of the event, you will need a permit. Any proceeds from the tombola or raffle must go to a good cause, such as charity or to cover the cost of your party.
You will need to clean up after your street party. It's your street and party, so keep your local area clean and tidy.
For advice on getting consent to put up bunting over or along the roadside, go to consent for bunting over or along the roadside – Surrey County Council.
