Stoke-on-Trent has dozens of fantastic parks and greenspaces which host many events and activities every year. For us to grant permission for an event or activity to take place, we ask that you complete the online enquiry form (this can be found at the bottom of this page).
Once this has been submitted, the Venues and Events Team will contact you for more information. You will be asked to sign a terms and conditions form, provide proof of public liability insurance and to send event documentation including but not limited to an event plan, event risk assessment and site plan.
Other documents may be required dependent on the nature of your event.
Notice periods
We need to receive all your event documents by the periods below to accommodate your request:
- Two months’ notice for small events with an expected attendance of under 500 people
- Three months for events with an expected attendance of between 500 and 10,000 people
- Six months for anything with a larger attendance of over 10,000 people
If your event is medium to large in size, you may be asked to attend a meeting of the city’s safety advisory group (SAG). The safety advisory group provides advice and guidance to organisers of large public events. The group is made up of officers from all emergency services - police, fire and rescue, ambulance and the local authority services - events, emergency planning, highways, licensing, communications and health and safety. This might sound daunting, but it is only to support in making your event as safe as possible.
Organisers are invited to a safety advisory group dependent on the level of risk posed by holding the event. When you advise the council of your event, it will then be assessed to determine if it meets any of the requirements for a safety advisory group. If it is determined that a safety advisory group should take place, you will receive an invite to attend online or in person.
Event enquiry application form
If you have any queries, please contact the Venues and Events Team by emailing EventEnquiry@stoke.gov.uk or calling 01782 235571.
Additional Guidance for Event Organisers
The following resources provide essential information on safety, security, and best practices for events. These are already shared during event sign-off, but you may also find them useful here:
- The Purple Guide – Comprehensive guidance for event organisers, suppliers, and local authorities on safety, welfare, legal compliance, and good practice.
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Martyn’s Law – New legislation requiring certain events and premises to implement proportionate counter-terrorism measures.
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SCaN Training – See, Check and Notify: Encourages situational awareness and threat recognition.
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ACT Training – Action Counters Terrorism: Best practices for counter-terrorism and security awareness.
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Protect UK Posters – Download simple safety protocol posters for your event staff.
- Defibrillator Locations – Find the nearest defibrillator for your event site.