Street parties

Street parties offer a great opportunity to meet your neighbours and Southwark Council encourages them in the borough. It's important that we ensure they're both safe and legal. Below you'll find information on how to apply to have your road closed for a party.

The great news is, all charges are waived and there are no fees to apply to close your street.

Key facts

• Applications must be received 6 weeks before the requested closure date
• There must be three named organisers who should all be over 18 and residents of the street to be closed
• The three named organisers cannot be from the same address and we must have their contact details on the application form
• At least one of the named organisers must be present at any one time during the street party
• A street party is not a public event and should not be advertised other than directly to the residents of the street
• Street parties are not allowed to go on after dusk - check the times for sunrise and sunset in London; (parties between 20 and 22 September must end at 6pm)
• All charges are waived and there are no fees to pay to apply to close your street
• Roads that are on a bus routes cannot be closed for a street party
• Major roads cannot be closed
• If the closure would require significant diversion or a lot of traffic management equipment it may not be possible to grant permission

Getting permission

• Submit your application at least six weeks before the proposed date of your street party; the application form is available below
• Consult with your neighbours in writing. This must be delivered to every premises on the street and must give contact details for at least one of the organisers and for the council; a letter template is available below
• Send your application and a copy of your consultation letter to events@southwark.gov.uk by the deadline; the application form is available below
• The council will notify you in writing whether the application is successful or not; the decision of the council is final

Organisers' responsibilities

• A formal risk assessment is not required, but you should think about what could go wrong and plan accordingly; major things to consider are: fire, bad weather, electricity and vehicles entering, leaving and remaining within the area of your road closure
• To close the road, barriers will be provided by FM Conway (subject to availability) during the week before the party
• Organisers are responsible for putting these into place to close the road at the agreed time
• A clear route, at least 4 metres wide, must remain along the entire length of the road closure for emergency vehicle access; fire hydrants and indicator signs must not be covered or obstructed in any way
• The barriers must be staffed at all times during the closure, by a responsible person over the age of 18 and able to physically move the barriers
• Some residents and businesses may need to use their vehicles while the street is closed and this should be incorporated in your plans (eg adjusting the length of the road closure)
• Bunting and decoration should be fixed so they can be removed without marking or damaging street furniture; bunting must be at least 4.6 metres above the ground if hung across the street
• Noise and nuisance must be kept to a minimum - organisers are responsible for not creating a nuisance to residents in the area, through noise, litter or anti-social behaviour; organisers' contact details will be available to the police and the council’s enforcement teams
• Organisers are responsible for clearing up all litter and equipment from the party and removing the barriers to reopen the road; barriers will be collected from the delivery address within 5 working days
• The closure can only be held on the approved day and times, do not close the road at any other times.

Guidance and application

• Street party guidance notes ^{(PDF, 89kb)}
• Street party application form
• Template letter to residents ^{(doc, 28kb)}

How we use your data

Southwark Council will use your personal data (name, address, email address and telephone number) to enable you to apply for a street party. We require this information to fulfil a contract with you, and we do not require your permission to process this data. If you do not provide this information, you may not be allowed to hold a street party.

Your personal information will only be used to administer your application, and will be reviewed or destroyed after 1 year.

If you're concerned about how the council is using your data, contact our Data Protection Officer via dpo@southwark.gov.uk or on 020 7525 5000. More information about your rights is available on our website, or via the Information Commissioner.

How was your street party?

The number of street parties in Southwark and across London has increased significantly in the last few years. To make sure we continue to support this demand effectively, we're asking all street party organisers in Southwark to complete a short questionnaire about their party and the process they went through to have their road closed.

Please follow this link to complete the questionnaire.

What are Play Streets?

Not planning a street party but would like to find out about how your children can play safely on the streets without any traffic? Welcome to Play Streets which not only promotes healthy activities, but also brings the community together in a positive fashion. Founded by London Play, the scheme aims to revive the 'play time' culture of the past.

During the summer months, Southwark Council has eased traffic regulations to help local people set up play activities for their children. Applications are now open for anyone who wants to close their local road for Play Streets.

For further information and to apply, visit our Play Streets page or email TTMO@southwark.gov.uk.

Contact us

E: events@southwark.gov.uk
T: 020 7585 2000

Page last updated: 14 August 2024