Celebrate Her Majesty’s 90th With a Free Street Party
RESIDENTS can join in the Queen’s 90th celebrations by throwing their own street birthday bash in mid-June, without having to pay for a road closure.
In recognition of Her Royal Majesty’s major milestone, Reading Borough Council is again waiving the usual road closure fee for approved street parties so residents can join the celebrations with no additional costs.
The Queen’s official birthday is in June, and residents can apply for free street parties for either Saturday June 11th or Sunday June 12.
The Royal birthday parties are this year being combined with the Big Lunch. The annual Big Lunch scheme aims to get as many people as possible to have lunch with their neighbours in the first weekend of June every year as an act of community, friendship and fun.
To apply for a street party, residents need to apply to the Council between four to 12 weeks in advance. They can do that at www.reading.gov.uk/streetparties. Applications need to be with the Council by Monday May 2nd at the very latest.
The Council needs to know the date and time of the proposed party or event, the name of the road, or part of a road, that needs to be closed, and whether it is part of a bus route or used by through traffic. Permission will be granted subject to the road not being a main through route or a public transport route. Residents who want to host a street party will also be responsible for ensuring that the emergency services will still be able to get through if they need to.
Councillor Tony Page, Reading’s Lead Councillor for Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport, said:
“By waiving the usual road closure fee, we hope to encourage local residents to consider hosting their own street party to mark Her Majesty’s 90th.
“Neighbours in Reading have enthusiastically taken up the offer of free street parties over the past few years as part of the Big Lunch or the Playstreets scheme, and we hope that this year will be no different. Street parties are a great way for friends, neighbours and families to get together and for children to play without any worries about traffic. We hope as many people as possible get their applications in early.”
