Guidance for events

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Downloadable documents 

Guidance for events

Templates

Templates and trackers for you to download and use for your event.

Risk assessment

All events will require a risk assessment, this is where you have identified what potential hazards you might have at your event and what precautions you are putting in place to make them safe. You can’t eliminate all risk, but you can plan so that you know what to do if an incident does occur. 

Event Management Plan

An Event Management plan is a larger document that outlines all event management plans and procedures and is either included or is provided alongside a risk assessment. An EMP is usually required for a larger event.

Park maps

View maps of the parks you can download to help you create your own site plan.

Park information

Find out more information about parks in Trafford. 

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Event fees

To hold an event you may need to pay a fee, view the current fees and charges to hold an event.

There will be an additional fee if you need to move any street or park furniture such as bollards, or would like to hire any bins. Include any details of such requirements on your application, and we will let you know of the costs when we review your application.

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Licensable activity

Depending on the event you may need to apply for a  temporary event notice or a premises license.

Street trading

Street trading means the selling, offering or exposing for sale of any article including a living thing in any street, at occasional concerts or community events. The sale of alcohol is a restricted item and you will need to contact the licensing team for an exemption for your event.

A street trading licence or consent is required if you want to trade on any street in Trafford. A street is defined as any road, footway, beach or other area including private land and parks to which the public have access without payment.

View the street trading policy.

If you are planning an event and inviting traders usually a street trading consent would be required for each individual stall at the event, this includes events on private land or parks. Each trader should apply for an individual street trading consent.

Temporary event notice (TEN)

You may need a temporary event notice for your event.

Licensable activity includes:

  • selling alcohol will not be permitted. Contact licensing to discuss the options available if you want to serve alcohol. 
  • serving alcohol to members of a private club
  • providing entertainment, such as music, dancing or indoor sporting events
  • serving hot food or drink between 11pm and 5am

Your event must:

  • have fewer than 500 people at all times, this includes staff running the event
  • last no more than 168 hours (7 days)

Premises license

If you have more than 500 people at your event and you are wanting to provide late night refreshments, regulated entertainment or to sell alcohol on a premises in Trafford you will need a premises license.

  • a performance of a play
  • an exhibition of a film
  • an indoor sporting event
  • a boxing or wrestling entertainment (indoors or outdoors)
  • a performance of live music
  • a performance of dance
  • any playing of recorded music
  • late night refreshment is hot food and drink supplied to members of the public, for consumption on or off the premises, between the hours of 11pm and 5am.
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Holding a tombola or raffle

If the tombola/raffle tickets are sold on the day and the prizes are not worth more than £500 in total then it will be exempt from gambling regulations, however if tickets are sold in advance of the event, you will need a lottery registration. Speak to Trafford's licensing team on 0161 912 4047. Any proceeds from the tombola/raffle must go to a good cause such as charity or even covering the cost of your party. Alternatively, if you did want to raise some money for your local church or charity, you can always ask people for donations.

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Health and safety

HSE have published guidance for organisers on how to plan, manage and monitor events. It helps event organisers make sure workers and the visiting public are not exposed to health and safety risks, and event organisers, venue owners or volunteers can find out more about their responsibilities.

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Lanterns

Trafford Council prohibits the release of sky lanterns from its property. Lantern debris can cause danger to animals and wildlife through ingestion and entrapment. Unexpired sky lanterns also pose a documented fire hazard.

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Road closures

If you require a road closure you will need to provide a traffic management plan, a scale plan showing which roads you propose to close and what diversionary routes will be put in place. We will pass this information to our highways colleagues at One Trafford who may then contact you directly to discuss further. Ultimately you will need to complete a road closure application and pay the relevant road closure fees in addition to any other fees which may be due. 

Apply for a road closure. 

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Holding a market

A market is defined as a “concourse of buyers and sellers” with five or more trading spaces (e.g. stalls, stands, vehicles or pitches). This can also include: Car boot sales; table-top sales; traditional and specialist markets and fairs; exhibition type markets and fairs. If you have 5 or more retail trading spaces (including catering stalls but not charitable or informative stalls) then you will need to complete the market license application form. Find out about holding a market in Trafford.

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Noise and playing music

Consider the elements of your event that could cause noise nuisance and document the plans you have in place to minimise it in your event management plan or risk assessment.

PPL collects and distributes money on behalf of performers and record companies for the use of their recorded music. PRS for Music collects and distributes money on behalf of songwriters, composers and music publishers, for the use of their musical compositions and lyrics. 

If you will be playing copyrighted recorded music you must contact both PPL and PRS to see if you need a licence.

If you will be having live copyrighted music you should check with your musicians if they have a PRS licence which will cover their playing at your event and if not contact the PRS directly.

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Fireworks

If you are planning on having fireworks at your event we ask that you consider using silent / low noise fireworks. They will still make a bang but it will not be as loud as the standard firework and will not be as scary for pet’s in Trafford.

The Cabinet Office has produced a ‘Can do’ guide for those planning a more organised voluntary or community event.

Guidance on:

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has created a website with firework safety tips.

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Pets as prizes

The council does not permit the sale of living creatures at events on its land, this includes the distribution of goldfish as prizes for activities.

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Equality and accessibility

Ensure your event is open and welcoming to people from all communities and groups. Even simple measures like ensuring there is sufficient room for push chairs and wheelchairs and water for service dogs can make a difference. This should be included in your event management plan or risk assessment.

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Lost children/vulnerable adult policy and plan

Include in your risk assessment or event management plan how you will deal with any reports of lost children or vulnerable adults reported to you.

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Food at street parties

View the FSA guidance about hosting street parties.

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Toilets

If you are wondering how many toilets you might need at your event you can check The Purple Guide for guidance or call our events team for some advice.

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The Purple Guide

The Purple Guide is a useful source of information for organisers to use when planning events. There is a subscription fee for 12 months access to the Purple Guide website, including all updates and additional guidance that may be added during that period.