Between the 2nd and 5th June, it’s estimated that there will be 10 million Brits hosting street parties organised across the UK, according to Country Living.
It’s no surprise to see how huge an occasion this is! Not only is this a great celebration of the Queen’s 70-year reign, it’s also a welcome opportunity to reconnect with our community after COVID. We could all do with some good news after all.
There are so many things to think about when it comes to party-planning, and no more so than when it involves an entire street or community.
Planning a Jubilee Street Party?
The official Big Jubilee Lunch is planned for Sunday 5th June. Here are some helpful pointers to help you decide on whether to plan a street party:
What type of Jubilee Party do you want to hold?
- If you are planning a Street Party, you will need to contact your local council. You can do this here or simply give your Council a call if it isn’t listed on their website.
- If you don’t need to close the road, you can run a ‘Street Meet’ – if you live in a cul de sac, councils are generally happy for this to go ahead without permission. Otherwise, use driveways, parking areas and front gardens – none of these will require council permission. Ensure you don’t obstruct pavements.
- Another option is a ‘Neighbour’s Picnic’, which can be held in the local park, the only caveat is that you cannot have music or a barbecue, but it may work well for sandwiches and cake!
Get our community involved from the start
Get your neighbours involved – and make sure everyone meets to discuss the Big Day beforehand.
- Ask everyone to bring a dish and drink, and don’t forget to include vegetarian/vegan type options.
- Consider whether you will buy plastic cutlery, or reduce waste and encourage neighbours to bring their own cutlery.
- Consider classic British recipes, such as Scotch Eggs, sausage rolls, Bakewell Tart and Victoria Sponge cake.
- If you are using private land, you could consider a barbecue.
- If you need crockery, consider buying some mismatched plates from a charity shop, they appear much more authentic, cause less waste and the charity will benefit from your purchase. You could even clean them up and return them for resale.
- To keep decoration costs down, get the local children involved in creating bunting, paper waving flags on (paper) straws, and paper chains.
- Consider setting up a Spotify playlist and sharing the link with your neighbour’s who can add their music to it as well. Add a few of the Queen’s favourites, such as ‘The White Cliffs of Dover’ by Vera Lynn, and ‘Leaning on a Lamp-post’ by George Formby.
- And remind everyone to bring their favourite mug for a cup of tea!
Do I need Jubilee Street Party Insurance?
As a Platinum Jubilee Street Party is a one-off event, you won’t need a risk assessment or licence for the consumption of alcohol. That doesn’t mean that there is no risk.
We would encourage anyone organizing a Jubilee party to have street party insurance cover in place. The main risks are:
- Burns from barbecues
- Food and drink
- Trips and falls
- Damage to vehicles
- Breakages
Some councils will require proof of insurance, while others won’t.
Did you know that A-Plan can cover street parties? We know this is a pretty unique insurance to consider, so we are happy to answer any questions about party insurance that you can think of, to ensure your event goes smoothly and without worry. Contact your local branch here.