Events enhance identity of place and provide a high quality, distinctive experience for visitors and local people as well as generating significant economic impact.
The council’s Events Team delivers an exciting programme of major events and works with partners to bring global events to the city. We also recognise the importance of home-grown community events and are keen to ensure we have variety throughout the year.
Events and activities
You must apply for site permission for your event or activity, if any of the following apply:
- more than 50 people will attend, or your planned event or activity is in one of our smaller parks and will therefore limit other public use.
- you will be charging for people to take part
- you promote the event, for example on social media, posters or flyers
- you want to put up structures, such as a bouncy castle, portable toilets, barriers or staging
- you want to sell alcohol or provide licensable entertainment. For information about this see the guide to entertainment
- you need vehicle access to the site
We need at least 3 months to allow time to process your application. As the landowner, we reserve the right to refuse permission for any application.
Vigils
A vigil is a period of time when a gathering of people remain quietly in a place, especially at night, for example as an act of remembrance, because they are praying or are making a protest. If there is no march involved, you have no requirement to tell the Police. If the Vigil is being held on Council land you should notify us in advance.
Email: eventbookings@plymouth.gov.uk
See the list of our parks.
Protests and marches
Read the guidance for protests and marches on GOV.UK.
Locations
Plymouth Hoe
Plymouth Hoe – The Hoe is earmarked for events of significant scale and those which have vast media reach putting Plymouth on the map nationally and internationally. Examples include Armed Forces Day which attracts 50,000 people, The Great Britain Sail Grand Prix which broadcasts to over 70 global territories and Megaride, one of the UK’s largest charity motorcycle ride outs with thousands taking part.
Central Park
Central Park is suitable for events of all shapes and sizes from small community events to larger music concerts and cultural happenings. Events such as music concerts up to 10,000 people, the Cancer Research ‘Pretty Muddy’ obstacle course and the Funky Llama festival of arts are perfect for Central Park.
Other Green Spaces are available using the application form, email scg@plymouth.gov.uk if you have any questions.
Charges
Bond Fees
A bond will be held by the council from all applicants. This will be to ensure that any damage or failure to clear waste can be recovered and the City Council is not left to cover these costs.
These will be fully refunded once it is established there are no repairs or clearance needed. The level of the bond is set out below; this is based on risk of damage. Bonds will be scored on an individual basis and other considerations may impact the score.
Tiers
| Tier 1 (Under 10 points) | £100 |
| Tier 2 (11 to 20 points) | £250 |
| Tier 3 (21 to 29 points) | £500 |
| Tier 4 (30 to 39 points) | £1000 |
| Tier 5 (40 points and over) | £1500 |
Admin Charge
Events held at Plymouth Hoe and Central Park will be liable to pay an admin charge based on the size of your event.
Site hire charge
Local and Regional charity or not for profit events are exempt from paying a hire charge.
Hire charges for commercial events and national charity events will be calculated on an event by event basis on receipt of your application.
Local and Regional charities are exempt from paying a site hire charge but will not be exempt from paying admin costs.
All costs will be set out in the Venue Hire Agreement and agreed prior to confirmation of the event booking.
Application process
- Submit your application
- We will confirm receipt of your application and respond to you advising you if the proposal is viable and if the date is available. We may want you to clarify some points within your application.
- When all the points have been clarified, we will confirm any fees required and level of bond.
- If you wish to proceed with your event, we will send you the Venue Hire Agreement which includes a list of all the required documentation and deadlines, the terms and conditions, site premises license and the site map.
- The event will be confirmed once we receive a signed copy of the Venue Hire Agreement and all relevant fees have been paid.
- Any breaches of the Venue Hire Agreement, including the supply of satisfactory documentation within the agreed timescales, could lead to your event being cancelled. Therefore if you have any questions or queries relating to the Venue Hire Agreement we would be more than happy to discuss these with you.
Events for the following calendar year may take slightly longer to be accepted as we will need to coordinate the overall events calendar. We have to consider the impact on residents throughout the year and our annual major events programme.
If you are an activity user, use the ‘Application’ form in the first instance and select ‘Activity’. Plymouth City Council defines activity users as organisers for exercise classes and/or little attendance and minimal infrastructure (park runs, yoga, personal training, picnics etc.).
Required documentation
The list of required documentation and deadlines will be included in your Venue Hire Agreement. The deadlines are set in order for us to have sufficient time to review and provide feedback, and forward it to other relevant partners for consideration (and if necessary forward to ESAG (Events Safety Advisory Group). Failure to meet these deadlines will put your event at risk of cancellation.
Phase 1 - Application
- Documentation: Application form via the plymouth.gov.uk website
- Timescale: 4 months prior to the event date
- Plymouth City Council: Events team to confirm availability, any fees and get Venue Hire Agreement signed
Phase 2 - First drafts
- Documentation: Event management plan, risk assessment, fire risk assessment, site plan, public liability insurance
- Timescale: 3 months prior to the event date
- Plymouth City Council: Events team to provide feedback
Phase 3 - Revised drafts
- Documentation: Updated versions of previously provided documents
- Timescale: 2 months prior to the event date
Phase 4 - Final versions
- Documentation: Updated versions of previously provided documents
- Timescale: 1 month prior to the event date
Phase 1 - Application
- Documentation: Application form via the plymouth.gov.uk website
- Timescale: 5 months prior to the event date
- Plymouth City Council: Events team to confirm availability, any fees and get Venue Hire Agreement signed
Phase 2 - First drafts
- Documentation: Event management plan, risk assessment, fire risk assessment, site plan, public liability insurance
- Timescale: 4 months prior to the event date
- Plymouth City Council: Events team to provide feedback
Phase 3 - Revised drafts
- Documentation: Updated versions of previously provided documents and (if applicable and agreed with the events team) noise management plan, relevant licenses, security/counter terrorism plan, medical plan, traffic management plan, waste management plan, environmental impact form, crowd management plan / evacuation plan, the construction (design and management) plan (cdm)
- Timescale: 3 months prior to the event date
- Plymouth City Council: Events team to email ESAG for distribution and feedback. Event Organiser may need to attend and present their event to ESAG
Phase 4 - Final versions
- Documentation: Updated versions of previously provided documents
- Timescale: 2 months prior to the event date
Phase 1 - Application
- Documentation: Application form via the plymouth.gov.uk website
- Timescale: 6 months prior to the event date
- Plymouth City Council: Events team to confirm availability, any fees and get Venue Hire Agreement signed
Phase 2 - First drafts
- Documentation: Event management plan, risk assessment, fire risk assessment, site plan, public liability insurance
- Timescale: 5 months prior to the event date
- Plymouth City Council: Events team to provide feedback
Phase 3 - Revised drafts
- Documentation: Updated versions of previously provided documents and (if applicable and agreed with the events team) noise management plan, relevant licenses, security/counter terrorism plan, medical plan, traffic management plan, waste management plan, environmental impact form, crowd management plan / evacuation plan, the construction (design and management) plan (cdm)
- Timescale: 4 months prior to the event date
- Plymouth City Council: Events team to email ESAG for distribution and feedback. Event Organiser may need to attend and present their event to ESAG
Phase 4 - Further revised drafts
- Documentation: Updated versions of previously provided documents
- Timescale: 3 months prior to the event date
Phase 5 - Final versions
- Documentation: Updated versions of previously provided documents
- Timescale: 2 months prior to the event date
Terms and conditions
The Terms and Conditions will form part of the Venue Hire Agreement. Failure to comply with these Terms and Conditions may result in cancellation of the event.
Useful information and contact
This information provides guidelines for Event Organisers to follow when planning an event. Any public event poses particular risks to the public and requires a high degree of planning and safety control
Don’t forget to promote your event on our Visit Plymouth website - Submit Event - Visit Plymouth
If you have any questions regarding your event please contact us at: Eventbookings@plymouth.gov.uk