IT’S PARTY time … and after the past two years, boy do we need it.
A four-day bank holiday weekend will take place from Thursday, June 2, through to Sunday, June 5, to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
And Reading residents are being urged to come together and organise street parties, just as they did to celebrate the coronation back in 1953, the Silver Jubilee in 1977, and the Golden Jubilee in 2002.
To help, Reading Borough Council says it will waive the usual road closure fees for any street parties during those dates.
Details of the full programme of events to celebrate the Jubilee in Reading will be released soon, but in the meantime, Cllr Tony Page, Reading’s Lead Councillor for Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport, is urging people to stock up on bunting, jelly and flags.
“This is the first time any British monarch has celebrated a platinum jubilee and we want to make it easy for local residents and communities to organise a street party and celebrate Her Majesty’s incredible record of public service,” he said.
“The Jubilee Party Weekend is an extra special opportunity for local communities and neighbours to spend some time together. It is important to recognise the many things we all have in common and to come together to celebrate our communities.”
And Cllr Page said that while we often only catch a glimpse of our neighbours as we go about our everyday business, the Jubilee weekend would be a real opportunity to make new friends with neighbours.
“As in previous years, the Council is keen to help enable these street parties by waiving the usual road closure fees and I would encourage residents to get their applications in as soon as possible,” he said.
Permission will normally be given, without the usual road-closure fees, subject to it not affecting a main through-route or public transport route.
Despite this, a campaign has been launched on social media aimed at see the country’s largest street party take place on the IDR. Closing such a major thoroughfare for traffic may be impossible for emergency services, but Reading Today understands that the idea is being given consideration.
A similar closure was managed on Northumberland Avenue in 2012.
The deadline for applications is Friday 4 April 2022.
Anyone who wishes to apply to hold a street party on any of the specified weekends should complete the form available at www.reading.gov.uk/streetparties.
Helpful tips, advice and support for organising a successful event can be found on the Street Party website www.streetparty.org.uk
