The public was warned against holding unauthorized Platinum Jubilee Street celebrations in an action by “Party Killjoys” last night.
Some 15 million people plan to celebrate the Queen’s 70-year reign with neighbors, which lowers the turnout for any previous royal event. But local officials said only 16,000 official applications had been approved for the closure of local roads, which would allow the parties to proceed legally.
One council advised that electric poles should not be installed on roads for the four-day bank holiday weekend for fear that it could damage “our dustcarts, light poles and/or vehicles”.
The fire brigade warned that emergency service personnel needed to reach the streets and requested that tables should not be set up in the middle of the streets.
The government ministry in charge of local authorities said residents should hold a “street meet”! Instead of a street party if the neighbors had applied for a road closure license too late. The deadline for applications to close the road in time for Jubilee has now passed.
‘A strange moment’
Tory MP Richard Holden, a Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, said: “The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee is a unique moment in our nation’s history, for families in cities, towns and villages across the UK. Looking forward to joining in the celebration.
“The idea that colloquial bureaucrats are tying people up in red tape to stop these gatherings is contemptuous.
“Councils should immediately clear the way for these historic national celebrations to go ahead so that friends and family can celebrate together this weekend.”
Johnny Mercer, a Conservative MP and former army captain of the Royal Horse Artillery, said on Sunday night: “These street parties must be allowed to proceed. We must not let the Killjoys spoil the jubilee.”
Tory MP Julian Knight, chairman of the Culture Select Committee, said: “Councils need to be realistic about this and understand that this is a once-in-a-lifetime celebration, something that will never be seen again, and they need to be Is as flexible as possible.”
Looking forward to meeting Lilibet
The four-day festivities begin on Thursday with Trooping the Colour, with the Queen taking a salute from the balcony of Buckingham Palace, breaking away from the routine. The baby is also expected to meet his great-granddaughter Lillibet, who is named after him, on the baby’s first birthday after flying from California to the UK with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
Royal sources said the Queen is not planning to attend the Epsom Derby on Saturday, freeing her up for a meeting with the Sussexes in Windsor, who plan to stay at Frogmore Cottage on the property.
According to an ICM survey, 14.7 million people are planning to attend community events in the coming days, nearly double the number of participants in the Diamond Jubilee in 2012, and five million more than the Silver Jubilee in 1977 .
But official figures show that only 16,000 applications for street parties have been approved by councils, suggesting that many will proceed illegally.
The sheer scale of the festivities has prompted local officials and emergency services to issue a series of warnings.
A government source said: “People cannot unilaterally block roads, the council needs about six weeks’ notice.
“If people cannot close their road because they have left it too late, they can plan a ‘street meet’ that will keep the road open but can be held on private land.”
A local government official told The Telegraph: “I think one thing that is not clear to everyone is that most councils had a cut-off date for Street Party applications, which has just gone .
“People should realize that they need to inform emergency services or consult neighbours.
“Some councils are telling residents that if they can’t close their street they can do something on public land or people’s driveways. I think there will inevitably be people who miss the deadline “
Council leaders are trying to encourage anyone without formal permission to close the road to reduce their gatherings.
