The Big Lunch street party

The Coronation Big Lunch

You will need to consider if your big lunch is open to the wider public, if you plan to sell alcohol or food, or intend to provide catering from an outside source. If so, you may also need to:

  • apply for relevant licences 
  • ensure you and anyone providing a service to the event, have public liability insurance
  • ensure that any equipment is safe for use, for example: PAT tested or inspected by a Gas Safe engineer
  • put in place a safeguarding policy, if the event is open to vulnerable people for example, elderly residents and children

For the answers to frequently asked questions, or a list of available green spaces, see The Big Lunch, Frequently Asked Questions

In this document you will find out how to:

  • safely stage events
  • arrange road closures
  • arrange the use of land around your estate
  • organise Big Lunches in parks and open spaces

Traffic diversions for bus routes will not be put in place over the 4 days. If your road is used as a bus route, a road closure will not be granted. In addition, there will be no parking suspensions put in place.

Remember, if the road is not suitable you can apply to hold a party in other parks and open spaces. Please consider this and the safety of those attending when planning your event.

How to apply 

Your completed application form must be submitted by Friday 7 April 2023. We recommend submitting your application at least one month before the deadline.  

Apply now

Help with funding an event

If you're a local authority resident and are considering holding an event on or near one of the council’s housing estates and your group needs help with funding (except licenses and insurance), you will need to complete and submit both the  housing land events permission form and a community funding application form in Word document format. 

The completed forms need to be submitted to the community development team: 

By post:    
Zone 3B,
Bernard Weatherill House,
8 Mint Walk, Croydon,
CR0 1EA 

Email: ken.Constantine@croydon.gov.uk or Community.Development@croydon.gov.uk 

You can also apply for further funding for your event through the National Lottery Awards

Stay in touch

Follow The Big Lunch team on Twitter or Facebook.
For general enquiries, email: parties@croydon.gov.uk

Share your Big Lunch event photos with us by sending them to Parties@croydon.gov.uk. These pictures will be available for pubic viewing.