Information on this page is provided by the national o rganisers of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee
Beacons.
Licensing Alcohol & Entertainment
Regulated entertainment is a licensable activity for which you will need to obtain a licence. Regulated entertainment includes live and recorded music, etc. together with providing the facilities for these activities to take place. If your event is attended by no more than
499 persons at any time then you can apply for a
Temporary Events Notice. This notice can also include the sale of alcohol. If you want to sell alcohol at your event or you intend to have regulated entertainment you will need to ensure the event is properly licensed.
Firstly check with your local council to see if a licence is in place for the area (some Councils have licensed land in the past few years). If no licence is in place you will need to apply for one. Provided no more than 499 people are present at any one time, you can apply for a
Temporary Events Notice, it will cost you £21 and can be obtained from your local Council. You must apply at least two full weeks in advance but make sure you submit the notice well in advance to ensure you are properly licensed. If your event is likely to have more than 499 people you may require a full premises licence but you should contact your local licensing officer at the
Council to discuss this as the process can take up to eight weeks and is more complicated than a simple temporary events notice. If you are unsure of any licensing requirements we suggest you contact your licensing officer at the district council.
Insurance
Unfortunately accidents can happen at even the best organised events. Therefore you will need to consider insurance cover.
Whether you’re holding an event on your own premises or someone else’s, beacon events require specialist public liability cover. If you hire a park or venue or use land owned by a third party for your event, they are likely to require you to have your own suitable insurance to cover your liability for any injury to the public or damage to other people’s land or property.
If hiring equipment for the event, you may need to insure these items; you may also need to consider cover for loss of any financial outlay you incur if the event has to be cancelled for reasons beyond your control, or loss of money, particularly if you are holding a fund-raising event.
Information for Beacon Organisers
To help you obtain the appropriate insurance, and risk management advice, the National Beacon organisers are working with Unity Insurance Services, which is a specialist insurance broker in the voluntary and nonprofit sector. They have developed a range of bespoke insurance covers specifically for the Beacon events, underwritten by Ecclesiastical Insurance. Both Unity and
Ecclesiastical are owned by charities and donate all their available profits back to charity.
To obtain a quote or for more details or advice on the insurance cover you may need, please visit Unity’s website, www.unityinsuranceservices.co.uk/jubilee or telephone them on 0845 0945 702. Other insurance companies and brokers can also assist you.
Emergency Services
Tell the police well in advance about the type of event you are planning and get in touch with your local community police officer. Write to the fire service and ambulance service, particularly if you are planning to have a beacon, fireworks, or an event that will attract large crowds. St John Ambulance and the Red Cross can provide first aid and sometimes a vehicle. In some areas they are simply happy to receive a donation. In others, expect a fee to be charged.
Food and Drink
Basic food hygiene guidelines should be followed if you are providing food and drink. Caterers must have food hygiene certificates. Advice can be obtained from your district/borough council environmental health officer.
Site Clearance
The local authority will arrange for clearance and disposal of litter after your event if it is on public ground
(check for charges). You can help this process by arranging litter bins or recycling bins around the site, and a team to clear up throughout the event.
Hiring or Borrowing Equipment
Your local authorities, Scout Group, Guide Unit, or local event organisers may be able to help you with contacts for supplies such as marquees, portable toilets, barriers and bunting, or may in some cases have these for you to hire or borrow. You may also need to consider generators, a public address system, and emergency flood lighting .

& LINKS TO SOURCES OF MORE DETAILED INFORMATION
The following information has been created by the Nottinghamshire Safety Advisory Group who areco-ordinating Diamond Jubilee Beacon events in Nottinghamshire and the Nottingham City area.
It may be advisable for you to contact your District/Borough Council Events or Leisure Services
Department to discuss your proposals and to gain advice on the points below. See contact details at the bottom of this section.
Q
When can we light the beacon/bonfire?
A
The national organisers are suggesting that the bonfires will be lit between 10pm -
10.30pm on Monday 4 June. However, if you are intending having a large bonfire, then you may decide to light it approximately 30 minutes before this time, so as to ensure that the fire is burning well for this time. The national organisers are happy for you to undertake the lighting whenever you prefer. However, please note that sunset is not until about 9.20pm at this time of year and it is not really becoming dark until after 10pm.
Q
Can we create a beacon/bonfire on any land?
A
If you do not own the land, then you must consult with the owners and gain their permission to stage your event. This applies whether private or public land.
Q
Are there any site requirements for a beacon bonfire event?
A
It is for you, as the event organiser, to determine if the site is large enough and suitable for staging an event of this nature that is open to the public? Will the site accommodate all of the visitors, plus possibly their cars, plus an area for the beacon/bonfire and a suitable safety area? You will need to estimate the total audience numbers that you might expect at the event and if you can accommodate for all of these.
Q
Do we require land for car parking?
A
It may be advisable to identify land for car parking. If you do not have sufficient land for this purpose, then you should contact Nottinghamshire County Council’s Highways
Department to advise them of how many vehicles you anticipate will be parking on surrounding roads.
Q
Who will organise traffic management during the event?
A
You will probably need to organise stewards who will deal with on-site car parking.
Preferably a separate entrance and exit should be considered. If you anticipate a large audience, then you may require road signs to indicate your car parking. http://www3.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/travelling/roads/trafficmanagement/eventsonpublicroads
Q
What resources do we require?

A
You should undertake a paper exercise to determine what costs you may require to hire any necessary equipment. Also can you generate income from the event? Also, you need to calculate how many staff/volunteers that you will require to carry out the various tasks, including stewarding. http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/police/operational-policing/event-safetyguide?view=Binary Page 6
Q
Do we need to obtain a licence for the event?
A
If the event is to include regulated entertainment or the sale of alcohol, then you may require a Temporary Even ts Notice (TEN’s are for events with 499 or less people in attendance at any one time) or a full premises licence for more than 499 persons. Please contact the Licensing Department of your Local Authority to discuss this. A premises licence takes a minimum of 28 days to process. Do not leave it too late http://www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/licensing/alcoholentertainmentandfood/ten/
Q
Do the organisers need to have experience of staging a bonfire type event?
A
You do not have to have experience of staging an event of this nature. However, it may be advisable for you to co-promote an event with a local sports club or youth group
(e.g. scouts) who have staged a November 5 th event before. Please note that this event is different to a November 5 th event, as it will not start until approximately 10pm, rather than ending at this time.
Q
Can we charge the public to attend?
A
Yes, you can charge the public an admission fee, or a car parking fee (if on your land). This can be used for any purpose to benefit your organisation or a charity.
Q
Can we also release fireworks, or not?
A
Yes the national organisers and the Chief Fire Officer for Nottinghamshire are comfortable for event organisers to include a fireworks display into the programme of entertainment, provide they are operated safely. www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/fireworks/using.htm
Q
Do we need to advise anyone if we are releasing fireworks?
A
You should make yourselves aware of the Firework (Safety) Regulations and advise the Emergency Services of what you are planning to stage. www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/fireworks/using.htm
Q
Do we need to put fire precautions in place?
A
Yes, whether only a beacon or bonfire or a full fireworks display you will need to have safety equipment in place – fire extinguishers, warning systems, beaters etc.

Q
Do we require any temporary lighting?
A
You may require temporary lighting for the audience, if your site does not already have an adequate level of lighting. Remember after about 10pm the site will be in darkness and you have a duty of care to your audience to ensure that they do not fall or trip, or no more serious type of incident occurs.
Q
Do we require toilet facilities?
A
Unless you only intend to light a small beacon, which will burn out in a relatively short period of time, then you should consider providing toilet facilities on-site or very close by.
Q
Do we need to have Public Liability Insurance, in case of an insurance claim?
A
You definitely should have Public Liability Insurance (PLI) in place to a minimum value of £2 million, but if you have a larger event or fireworks, then you should consider insurance cover of £5 million or £10 million. See page 1 of this section for more information and a link to an insurer which has been provided by the national organisers. PLI can be obtained from most insurance companies and brokers. Note that Employers Liability
Insurance would not be adequate.
Q
Can we provide catering for the audience?
A
Yes, catering can be provided by your organisation, or by mobile caterers. At least one person should hold a Food Hygiene Certificate. Mobile catering units should be appropriately certificated. It may be appropriate to contact your local Environmental
Health/Food Safety Officer about full requirements. Please note that if you wish to supply hot food or hot drink to the public between 11pm and 5am you may require a licence. http://www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/foodsafety/
Q
Can we sell alcohol at the event?
A
Yes, but you will need to contact your local District/Borough Council to gain the necessary licence, unless you already have one in place.
Please see: Do we need a licence?
Q
Do we need to produce a written health & safety document and a risk assessment for the event?
A
Yes, you should undertake a risk assessment for your event and include this within a
Health & Safety document which identifies your Normal Operating Procedures and also an
Emergency Action Plan, in case a major incident was to occur. http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/police/operational-policing/event-safetyguide?view=Binary Page 10 & 57

Q
Should we advise the emergency services of our event?
A
Yes it is advisable to contact your local Police and Fire station of your intention to stage an event. Depending on the size and scale of your event, then it may be appropriate to advise the East Midlands Ambulance Service and your local Highways Authority if you anticipate a sizeable audience.
Q
What first aid cover do we need to have?
A
It is advisable that you have some First Aid cover at your event, whether St. John
Ambulance. Red Cross or a private company, in case an accident or incident was to occur.
Q
How can we market/advertise our event?
A
There may be a list of events listed on the national organisers website. Locally, your
District/Borough/City Council may include details on their website. You should also send a media release to your local newspaper and radio station. Depending on the scale of the event, then you may wish to allocate some finances for advertising, leaflets or banners.
Q
What if it is raining on the evening?
A
In your pre planning for the event you need to give consideration for heavy rain occurring on the night of the event. How will this impact on the audience and more critically vehicles, if parking on a grassed field?
Q
Do we require any fencing or barriers?
A
You may require fencing, barriers, orange mesh netting, rope, or tape – plus stakes to section off the audience from the beacon/bonfire.
Q
How many stewards do we need to use?
A
This will depend on the scale of your event and the nature of the site and stewarding levels should be determined from your risk assessment. www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/police/operational-policing/event-safetyguide?view=Binary Page 28 www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg195.pdf Page 49
Q
Who will clear the site of litter and debris?
A
You should organise a team of stewards who will clear litter from the site and any fireworks debris (where appropriate). It is also recommended that someone remains on the site until the beacon or bonfire has burnt out. Where necessary dowse the area with water or cover over with soil or sand to ensure that no embers remain alight.
Q
How much might it cost us to stage such an event?
A
This will depend on the scale of the event and the services that you already have on the site. It is suggested that organisers carry out a detailed financial plan before registering to stage a Beacon event.

Q
Is there any funding available for these events?
A
At the time of writing this document (January 2012) no funding is known of from national organisers of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Beacons, or from any local authority in
Nottinghamshire or the City.
The above list is not exhaustive and is not intended to deter an event organiser from staging a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee event, but is some helpful thoughts on aspects of the event that you may not have considered.
For more detailed advice about organising an event, or health & safety at an event, then you may wish to view the following websites:
The Home Office The Good Practice Safety Guide for small and sporting events www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/police/operational-policing/event-safety-guide?view=Binary
Health & Safety Executive The Event Safety Guide www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg195.pdf
Health & Safety Executive Organising Fireworks Displays www.hse.gov.uk/explosives/fireworks/using.htm#?eban=rss-entertainment-and-leisure
Health & Safety Executive Giving Your Own Firework Display www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg124.pdf
Nottinghamshire County Council Highways and Road Closure Information http://www3.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/travelling/roads/trafficmanagement/eventsonpublicroads
For more advice about your proposal to stage a Diamond Jubilee event in Rushcliffe please contact:
The Community Arts and Events Officer
Cultural Services
Rushcliffe Borough Council
Civic Centre
Pavilion Road
West Bridgford
Nottingham
NG2 5FE
0115 9819911 arts@rushcliffe.gov.uk