Royal Wedding: No street partying like it's 1981

Shropshire has turned its back on staging major street parties to celebrate the Royal Wedding in April.

Little interest has been shown in holding parties to mark the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Shropshire Council has received just four applications for closures on April 29 and has had to ask for further information on each one before they can be properly considered.

It will not charge for closures while Telford & Wrekin Council - which will charge a £25 fee - has had a "few initial inquiries" but no firm applications for closures.

In 1977 about 10 million people across the country attended street parties to mark the Queen's Silver Jubilee, with similar numbers celebrating the 1981 wedding of Charles and Diana.

Event organisers only have until the end of this week to apply for the necessary permission to close roads to traffic.

Today Shrewsbury Mayor, Kathleen Owen, said it was "very disappointing" that more people hadn't applied.

"Prince William is absolutely adored and Kate is well liked too," said Councillor Owen.

She said street parties were a "real English tradition" and helped to bring the community together.

Anyone planning to hold a party on the road — including the pavement — needs to obtain a Road Closure Notice and Shropshire Council and Telford & Wrekin Council need at least 12 weeks notification for the legal process.

Adrian Lawrence, Telford & Wrekin Council cabinet member for environment, said: "The impending Royal Wedding is a great opportunity for people to get together and celebrate in a truly traditional British way.

"A street party is lots of fun for all ages and has for a century been linked with royal and other national events."

But he warned: "Contact us as soon as possible to see if you need any special permissions and particularly if you are hoping to close your street to traffic.

"You only have until February 4 to apply for a street closure."

Martin Stevens, clerk to the Shropshire Lieutenancy which represents the Queen in the county, said he expected smaller-scale local parties to be held in venues such as village halls but as yet it was still "early days."

He said the focus of the lieutenancy was on the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in June next year when a number of major, centrally co-ordinated events, would be held across Shropshire.

By Dave Morris