Events

• Organising events
• Contact us
• Filming in Newcastle 

Newcastle is a vibrant city that hosts everything from major international events to music concerts, top sporting action and small community festivals.

We have an excellent track record of hosting national and international events such as the World Transplant Games, the Rugby League World Cup and the Great North Run.

We are also delighted that Newcastle will be Newcastle will be one of nine cities to stage the major EURO 2028 mens tournament, with matches being played at St James’ Park.

Fireworks

It is illegal, unless you are the organiser or have their consent, to have pyrotechnics (fireworks) where a musical event is being held.   

Organising events

Please see our step-by-step guide to organising an event. 

To hold a safe and well managed event organisers should, where needed, always seek advice from experienced health and safety and event management professionals.

Use of council land

As a landowner we do not allow a number of activities to take place on our land.

This includes:

• the supply of tobacco products
• the release of sky lanterns or helium balloons

We would particularly encourage anyone considering a lantern or balloon release to consider alternative options.

Advice and guidance can be found on our sky lanterns and helium balloons page.

Licences

You may need a specific licence for your event.

For more information on the licences that may be needed, please:

• call 0191 277 7130
• email us 

Street parties

If you want to hold a small party or fete, for a group of neighbours, which needs a road to be closed, you can apply for street party permission online.

General advice on organising a street party is available on the national Street Party website.

If you are organising a street party please read the Food Standards Agency's advice on how to serve up safe food at street parties. Advice on food safety is also available on our food safety pages.

Holding an event in Newcastle city centre

NE1 provides high profile, on street spaces for events and marketing campaigns in Newcastle city centre.

They have spaces to allow events of all shapes and sizes, including larger scale promotions involving branded vehicles, gazebos and structures.    

Filming in Newcastle 

Overview

You can make a request for a permit to film in public spaces or on roads and streets in Newcastle.

Request a permit to film

Please provide as much notice as possible to allow sufficient time to consider your request.

For larger productions and drone filming we need a minimum of 2 weeks' notice. If you need a road closure, we will require 12 weeks' notice.

Fees

A fee will be payable for some requests, including larger production filming and filming with a drone. 

This fee is currently set at £69 (plus VAT) and is under review for the next financial year.

Additional fees for road closures also apply. Please see further guidance on applying for a road closure.

Information you will need to provide

When completing the form you will be asked to provide information. It will be shared with our highways and events teams, including the following:

• Date
• Time
• Location
• Size of your crew 
• Reason for filming
• Emergency contact details

If your plans require the temporary closure of a road or public space or include the use of a drone, you will be asked to provide further information and documentation.

This will include details of your public liability insurance and relevant documentation relating to drone use.

Requirements for Drone Filming

If you wish to film using a drone you must provide:

• the take-off and landing locations
• flight paths
• public liability insurance cover of at least £5 million
• evidence of a valid CAA license and insurance 
• risk assessment.

You can find further information on drone use here.

We also advise that drone operators adhere to the CAA Code of Practice for Drone Use. It includes guidance and requirements for operating your drone in a safe manner.

Use of drones above or near to mainline railway infrastructure

If you wish to operate a drone within 50m above the railway tracks or within a distance of 25m from the tracks you should contact Network Rail at DroneEnquiries@networkrail.co.uk.

Use of drones above the River Tyne

If you wish to use a drone over the River Tyne please contact Port of Tyne.

Additional Requirements

Before submitting your request you are advised to check whether there are any roadworks or closures in place that would affect or prevent filming. You can search for the location on the Causeway one.network website.

Please inform the police of your plans by emailing Northumbria Police.

When filming you are required to follow this guidance:

• where possible, use public car parks
• do not leave equipment, regardless of size or value, unattended 
• obey all parking restrictions and traffic signs
• do not park on any footpaths, even to load or unload equipment
• allow pedestrians to pass, without having to go into the road
• do not stop traffic unless you have a road closure or traffic management plans in place that have been agreed by us.

Please note that we are unable to grant permission for filming on private property or land that is managed by other organisations.

Filming in parks

Urban Green Newcastle manage Newcastle's 33 parks and 61 allotments. Please email Urban Green Newcastle if you want to film in a park.

If you wish to film on the Town Moor you will need to contact the Freemen of Newcastle.

Filming on private property

If you want to film on private property, for example in:

• Central Station
• Metro stations
• Eldon Square

Then you must arrange this with the owners or managers of those premises.

Crowded places guidance

The latest crowded places guidance from the National Counter Terrorism Security Office is available on its website.

Safer Events Policy

A copy of the Northumbria Local Resilience Forum's safer events policy is available on request.

Health and Safety Executive advice

More advice about running safe events can be found on the Health and Safety Executive website.

Contact us

To contact our events team please:

• write to: Events team, Directorate of Operations and Regulatory Services, Civic Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8QH
• call: 0191 2116582
• email us