Planning an event for the 80th anniversary of VE Day
Thursday 8 May will mark the 80th Anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.
We’ve included key information on this page for anyone looking to run an event in Test Valley to mark this historic occasion, including details of a new grant scheme and the waiving of road closure fees.
VE Day 80th Anniversary Grant Scheme
The council has created a VE Day 80th Anniversary Grant Scheme, which will enable communities to apply for up to £500 towards local celebrations to mark the historic event.
Constituted not for profit organisations, clubs and societies, parish and town councils and schools can all apply for a share of the pot. For more details or to check you are eligible to apply please check the grant criteria document. You can submit a bid for funding using the short application form.
The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Friday 25th April and all activities must take place within two weeks of the 8 May 2025.
Other funding
- Each TVBC ward has a pot of money that councillors from that ward can award as grants to community projects and events. To view if your event is eligible for funding and to apply, check out our TVBC Councillor Community Grant page.
Closing a road
- The application fee for a temporary road closure for public events will be waived for those applications that demonstrate that their event is for the purposes of marking the 80th Anniversary of VE Day on 8 May 2025. More details on how to apply and further guidance can be found here. Further safety guidance for planning a major event can be found here.
- Check out the Hampshire County Council website for further information about planning events on highways and things to consider.
- The government website also offers further useful information and handy guide on organising a street party.
Licensing
- Alcohol and food: If you wish to hold an ad-hoc event involving a licensable activity (e.g. selling alcohol), you must give a temporary event notice (TEN) to Test Valley Borough Council as the local licensing authority no later than ten clear working days before the event. Please contact the TVBC licensing team for more information on licensing for food and drink.
- Music: You don’t need a music licence, whether the music is live or pre-recorded, as long as your street party is a private party for residents and you haven’t advertised the music to make money or attract people.
- Raffles and tombolas: Anyone running a lottery that permits the sale of tickets before an event, or away from the place where the event is held, is likely to need a registration with their local authority. Although there are some exceptions to this please check further information.
- Bunting: If you intend to put up bunting along a public highway you will need to apply for banner consent from Hampshire County Council. They have lots of information and guidance on their Apply for a banner consent | Hampshire County Council (hants.gov.uk) page.
Photography: There is no law or rules regarding photography in a public place, however best practice would be to ask for permission to take any photos that would allow an individual to be identified.