Time to hang out the bunting for another royal street party (Picture: Getty Images)
Millions of Britons will be hoping to celebrate The Coronation of King Charles III by holding their own street party with neighbours and friends.
The coronation, which will take place on Saturday, May 6, will be the first ceremony of its kind since 1953 when Charles’ mother Queen Elizabeth II was crowned – and the celebrations are set to last for several days, Buckingham Palace has revealed.
But when it comes to holding an event on your street, it’s not all fun and games – it’s also council and highway regulations.
So, before dusting off your Union Jack bunting, what permissions do you need to get?
Here is everything you need to know.
What permission do I need to get?
You will need to find out exactly what your local council wants from you before holding the event – and you will need to tell them if you plan to shut off the road.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web
browser that
supports HTML5
video
According to the Government website, street parties on quiet streets that don’t affect the wider road network count as small events.
If you’re planning a small event for neighbours, you can apply through your local council to host, and you need to tell your council four to 12 weeks before the event is set to take place – so you better act fast if you’ve not yet applied, as it might be too late for some of you.
You need to tell your local council:
The date and time of the party or event
Whether or not you want to close a road or section of road, and its name
If the road is part of a bus route or used by through traffic
A list of any properties or businesses affected
If you’ve consulted neighbours
You need to apply to your local council to close your road (Picture: Farm Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
To close the road, you will need to seek permission from your local council, and if your road is part of a bus route, the bus company will also need to be notified.
Some local councils will give you signs and cones to block the road, or you can hire or buy signs.
The official Street Party website says you will need to apply three to 12 weeks in advance for permission for a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order from your council’s traffic/highways department, licensing or events team.
Is there a deadline for applying?
Each local authority has set their own deadline by which you need to have applied to host your own street party for the coronation and as mentioned above, this will be between four and 12 weeks.
All of which means it may be too late for you to organise a street party, if you haven’t done so already.
Your best bet, if you do want to try and arrange something at short notice, is to contact your local council and find out what their deadline is – or check their website for this information.
It might still be possible to arrange something even at this late stage, with a spokesperson for the Local Government Authority telling ITV News that ‘there is no national deadline for street party applications ahead of the King’s coronation in May’.
However they added: ‘It’s helpful to give as much notice as possible to ensure sufficient time to deal with any queries or concerns by other road users, and help manage the large volume of applications, alongside regular approval work.’
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web
browser that
supports HTML5
video
What if I can’t get permission?
Whether your council has rejected your application or you haven’t had time to submit one, given the coronation is just a couple of weeks away there are alternative types of parties you can hold with your neighbours.
One option – the most popular for those who don’t have permission to close the road – is a ‘street meet’. This gets around the need to take up space on the public highway by having everything on the pavement and your neighbours’ driveways instead.
The only people you need permission from is your neighbours – they may not be too happy if you block their driveway without them knowing beforehand.
You could always hold a party in your garden if you’re in a pinch.
There are a number ways you can celebrate the upcoming coronation (Picture: Jenny Matthews /In Pictures via Getty Images)
Do I need insurance?
Some councils will require you to buy a Public Liability Insurance, which covers everybody for personal injury or damage to some property as a result of the party. Others, however, will merely suggest it.
Depending on how much cover you would like, it can cost upwards of £50 to cover around £5m, should one of your neighbours want to sue you for spilling their very expensive glass of champagne on their very expensive new dress.
How to find coronation events near you
Events are set to take place across the UK for the first coronation in seven decades.
To find coronation events near you, you can visit the government’s interactive coronation website.
You can search for nearby events by inputting your postcode and filter the results based on distance and date.
Most of the listed events are scheduled for Sunday, May 7, the day after the King is crowned.
The website also includes guidance and tips on how to host your own Coronation Big Lunch or street party.
MORE : Will Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend King Charles III’s coronation?
MORE : Is King Charles III vegetarian or vegan amid coronation quiche announcement?
MORE : Could Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend King Charles III’s coronation?
Follow Metro across our social channels, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Share your views in the comments below
It’s not just eating cake, you know!