Saturday 6 May marks the official coronation of His Majesty The King at Westminster Abbey. Given the last coronation was held in 1953, it is anticipated there will be significant local, national and international interest in this celebratory, solemn and historic moment.  

Many tens of thousands of people are expected to visit the capital city to experience this occasion, with millions more watching from home, across the UK and around the globe. St James’s Park, Green Park and parts of Hyde Park, along with the procession route from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey and back, are the focus of activities in London with special sites for watching events. Food and drink (including alcohol) is being put on for visitors wishing to be part of the celebrations.  

On Sunday May 7 a spectacular Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle will showcase the country’s diverse cultural heritage in music, theatre and dance. One of the highlights of the concert will be “Lighting up the Nation”, in which iconic locations across the UK will be lit up with projections, lasers, drone displays and illuminations. This is expected to take place between 8.30 and 10pm. Again, screens in central London, focussed around St James’s and Green Parks, will show the concert live.

Two applications for premises licences have been submitted to Westminster City Council as the licensing authority, with notices displayed across the Royal Parks (200 in total). TLT solicitors were instructed by The  Government Legal Department  to make the applications. The team engaged with a wide number of stakeholders principally , Westminster City Council and the DCMS, as well as the Identity Group and Colicci, who will be responsible for the infrastructure, management and supply for refreshments and alcohol respectively. 

Nationally, family gatherings, as well as larger organised events are likely to take place across the country. This in turn means a lot of local interest in putting on street parties, or attending organised events put on by local authorities. Your colleagues and members may be advanced in the planning of such events, but we thought it would be helpful to flag the detail here.

The festivities will no doubt be part of a busy summer of activities run by or regulated by local authorities as there remains a significant interest in large scale events as the country comes out of the Covid pandemic.

Artiicle provided by TLT Solicitors