There will be no charge to organise a street party during the Diamond Jubilee long weekend, the council has confirmed.

Wandsworth is again aiming to be London's street party leader. On last year's Royal Wedding day, residents organised the second highest number of parties in the capital.

The Diamond Jubilee weekend will stretch from June 2 to June 5 and the usual £50 charge will be waived for parties held on any of those days.  This includes the Big Lunch event on June 3. Big Lunch is a national day of street parties aimed at bringing people together.

The council has cut red tape to make it easier for people to organise and manage their own street parties with the council getting involved as little as possible. It has simplified procedures and produced clear guidelines for organisers giving advice on issues such as health and safety.

Council engineers require six weeks' notice of an event to enable them to organise a road closure. Not all streets can be closed - only those that will not have an impact on the wider road network. The council also has no authority to close red routes.

Wandsworth will be at the heart of celebrations for this year's Jubilee. The spectacular 1,000-boat river pageant will join the Thames at Putney on June 3, and a festival will be held that day at Battersea Park . 

Council leader Ravi Govindia said:"If last year's royal wedding street parties are anything to go by, Wandsworth residents will show their traditional community spirit in style by holding dozens of street parties.

"We're expecting everything from small gatherings of a few neighbours to major events. We want to encourage as many people as possible to enjoy the Jubilee, which is why we won't be charging for street parties and have made organising them as hassle-free as possible.

 

 

February 1, 2012