We are all feeling very excited to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee over the four-day Bank Holiday weekend next week. The Queen is the first British monarch to celebrate 70 years on the throne which makes the long weekend celebrations even more meaningful.
However, while you prepare for your festivities there are a few laws and rules you should know about so you can avoid any expensive and unnecessary fines:
House decorations
If you are planning a garden party to celebrate with friends and family, you must decorate the exterior of your house safely, so you don’t find yourself responsible for any accidents caused by the decorations you installed.
The Occupier’s Liability Act 1984 outlines an obligation to deliver “reasonable care” for the safety of visitors to your property.
Make sure the whole exterior including the driveaway and especially any steps are safe and free from items that could cause people to trip. If someone does have an accident on your property, you could be fined up to £5,000.
If you own a pub or bar and have events planned for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend, please make sure your outdoor areas are risk assessed in advance. Not completing a risk assessment could be a breach of health and safety law.
Fireworks
We all love fireworks and especially for such national celebrations but please be aware that if you are using fireworks illegally you can be fined £90 on-the-spot or if you are selling them illegally during the Platinum Jubilee you can be fined up to £5,000 and face imprisonment for up to six months.
Respect your neighbours
Noise disruptions after hours can land you with a noise complaint, make sure to keep any music playing at the permitted levels and between the hours of 7 am to 11 pm.
The licensed trade received an extension to their licensing hours from the parliament under Section 172 of the Licensing Act 2003. Pubs, clubs and bars across England and Wales have an extension to trade from 11 pm to 1 am to mark Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
The extension will cover Thursday the 2nd of June to Saturday the 4th of June, allowing people to continue their celebrations. Nevertheless, if your premises are near a residential area, it is important to respect your neighbours and monitor noise levels to avoid any complaints.
