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Public event safety

Information on holding a safe public event and the East Riding of Yorkshire Event Safety Advisory Group (ESAG).

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Where can I get information on running a public event safely?

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have published important information on their website that is a must read for any person involved in public events. They cover the legal responsibilities of all parties including event organisers, workers and site/venue owners. The website also covers event planning, management and planning for incidents and emergencies.

HSE Event Safety (external website)

The Purple Guide has been written by The Events Industry Forum in consultation with the events industry. Its aim is to help those event organisers who are dutyholders to manage health and safety. The Purple Guide provides guidance to help organisers determine what control measures are necessary for events such as crowd management and medical support.

The Purple Guide (external website)

The Government website has guidance published on fire risk assessments for open air events and venues.

Fire safety risk assessment: open-air events and venues (external website)

The Events Safety Advisory Group (ESAG) has been set up to provide advice and guidance to organisers of large public events in the East Riding of Yorkshire Council area. For more information on the ESAG please open and read the sections below.

Do I need to notify the emergency services of my event?

It is good practice to notify the Ambulance Service and Police that your event is taking place. Both services can then work with you to ensure that your event runs smoothly. The East Riding of Yorkshire area is covered by the Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS), Humberside Fire and Rescue Service (HFRS) and Humberside Police.

In most cases the emergency services will only provide resources to your event in the case of an emergency in response to a 999 call. Normally they will be unable to provide resources to cover tasks such as security, stewarding, first aid and medical cover.

By notifying them of your event, they will be aware of the activities taking place. This will help if an emergency situation occurs, but will also help when responding to other unrelated emergencies near to the location of your event.

The emergency services occasionally can provide resources to your event, but this should be arranged with them direct in advance and likely to incur a cost.

Notify the police using their online form and the Ambulance Service by email. Upon notification, the Ambulance Service and Police may contact you to check that your plans include adequate resources that meet legal requirement and current guidance.

Humberside Police - Tell us about a procession or event you are planning (external website)

Contact Humberside Police for more information on policing

Notify the Ambulance Service by email on yas.events@nhs.net and include the following information:

  • Name of medical provider
  • CQC Registration Number (if applicable)
  • Outline all medical resourcing for your event
  • Static location of medical resources.

You can contact Humberside Fire and Rescue Service with fire safety queries using this link:

Humberside Fire and Rescue Service queries

Where can I get information on using the council's land and on the events on the highway?

If you wish to organise an event on council property you must, in most cases, have approval from the council. This must be obtained before you can go ahead with your event. Applications to use the council's land are dealt with by the council's Valuation and Estates team.

Application to use the council's land

The council's Highways Events team are responsible for dealing with applications for road closures due to events. The page below has information on how to apply for a road closure and also how to mitigate the impact of an event on the local community and the highway network.

Highways Events

Do you need a licence for an event?

You may need a licence for an event, but this depends on if licensable activities are taking place, not all events will require a licence.

Under the Licensing Act 2003 you need a licence or temporary events notice (TEN) to sell or supply alcohol and to sell hot food and drink between 23:00 and 05:00. You may need a licence for entertainment if it is regulation, to check this and for full information on applying for a licence under the Licensing Act 2003 please visit our webpages on the link below:

Licensing Act 2003

If you or other traders are selling, exposing or offering for sale any article/goods at your event, and there is free access to your event by the public. Then a street trading consent is required under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982. Full information on applying for a street trading consent please visit our webpages on the link below:

Street Trading Consents

What is the Events Safety Advisory Group (ESAG)?

The Events Safety Advisory Group (ESAG) has been set up to provide advice and guidance to organisers of large public events in the East Riding of Yorkshire Council area.

The ESAG provides advice to event organisers at a monthly meeting of core members. The ESAG is hosted and managed by the Councils Health, Safety and Licensing Service who have a representative on the group to provide advice on health and safety legislation.

The other core members of the group are senior officers from the emergency services and other council services that may have involvement with your event.

The ESAG's main objectives are:

  • to promote high levels of safety and welfare at events by giving advice
  • to promote good practice in safety and welfare planning for events
  • to ensure events cause minimal adverse impact.

All comments and observation made by ESAG are always advisory. The ESAG has no statutory powers and organisers are under no obligation to submit information, documentation, attend ESAG meetings, or follow ESAG's advice. However, each of the core members has their own regulatory role and may exercise their powers independently.

What type of events are the ESAG interested in?

Typically, the ESAG will provide advice on large events with high number of attendees including those with over 1,000 attendees.

The ESAG will also provide advice to smaller events with high-risk activities taking place at the event.

If your event is proposed to have more than 1000 attendees, or there are high-risk activities taking place, please contact:

Email: health.safety@eastriding.gov.uk

to check if you will be invited to attend with full details of the event including the location, details on the activities taking place and the approximate number of attendees.

The ESAG may also invite event organisers to attend following a request from core members where there are issues or concerns.

An example of the type of event that the ESAG provides advice to is the British Cycling Beverley Grand Prix that took place in July 2024, attended by approximately 5000 spectators. For more information on this event please watch the below video.

How does the ESAG work and what information do I have to provide if I am invited to attend?

The ESAG provides advice to event organisers at a monthly meeting which are held remotely on Microsoft Teams. The remaining 2026 dates are as follows:

  • 17 September 2026
  • 15 October 2026
  • 12 November 2026.

All meetings start at 13:30 and organisers will receive notification in advance of the meeting with instructions on how to join the meeting and at what time.

Event organisers are required to provide copies of their safety management documentation at least 10 working days prior to the meeting. This is important to ensure all core members have sufficient time to review the documentation and provide the appropriate advice. The safety management documentation provided should include:

Event Management Plan

An event management plan should cover the safety and organisational aspects of your event including all of the control measure determined by your risk assessments. The bigger the event and/or the riskier the activities the more detailed the plan should be.

Please find attached an example template event management plan which shows all of the key areas that need to be covered. Note, the areas covered and information in the template is not exhaustive.

Template Event Management Plan (word 35kb)

Yorkshire Ambulance Service Notification

Confirmation that you have completed the Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) online notification form and provided them with necessary documentation.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service Notification Form (external website)

YAS and the East Riding of Yorkshire ESAG recommend that event organisers use a CQC registered medical provider for first aid and medical cover at events. We also advise the cover meets the levels recommended by the Purple Guide, and that your provider is able to provide the level of cover procured.

Other Documents

Any other relevant documents that you think may assist members. Any other relevant documents that are requested by core members.

At the meeting the event organiser will be asked to give an introduce their event and provide a summary on the activities taking place and safety measures proposed. Core members will then ask questions of the organiser, provide advice and agree action points.

All comments and observation made by ESAG are always advisory. The ESAG has no statutory powers and organisers are under no obligation to follow ESAG's advice. However, each of the core members has their own regulatory role and may exercise their powers independently.

What is the difference between the ESAG and Sports Safety Advisory Group (SSAG)?

East Riding of Yorkshire Council has a separate ESAG and Sports Safety Advisory Group (SSAG) which are different.

The SSAG covers sports grounds that have a stand with a capacity for more than 500 spectators known as a regulated stand, or has been designated by the secretary of state. These types of sports ground hold a general safety certificate under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975 and Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987.

If an event is taking place in a designated sports ground or using a regulated stand then the SSAG will meet to discuss the event and provide advice. For more information on the safety of sports grounds please visit our website:

Safety of Sports Grounds

The ESAG covers all other events that do not take place in a designated sports ground or using a regulated stand.

What is Martyn’s Law and how do event organisers comply?

On 3 April 2025, the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, commonly called Martyn’s Law, received Royal Assent, making it law in the UK.

Martyn’s Law is counter terrorism legislation. The legislation will to be known as ‘Martyn’s Law’, in tribute of Martyn Hett who was killed alongside 21 others in the Manchester Arena terrorist attack in 2017.

Martyn’s Law will be regulated by the Security Industry Authority (SIA), and not the Local Authority.

The Home Office has released a short video designed to educate viewers on the scope and requirements of the new Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act, known as Martyn’s Law. The link to the video is below:

Watch: new Martyn’s Law explainer video

The Home Office has also published new guidance explaining how organisations must notify the SIA:

GOV.UK - Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025: notification requirement (external website)

For full information on Martyn’s Law and its implementation please visit the website below:

GOV.UK - Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025: Overarching Factsheet (external website)

East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Humberside Police and Counter Terrorism Policing North East are working together to provide event organisers with advice and support on how to counter the threat of terrorism when planning an event. Below is a letter to event organisers with advice and support on how to counter the threat of terrorism when planning an event.

Letter to event organisers with advice and support (pdf 200kb)

There is also information and guidance available for businesses covering counter terrorism published by Counter Terrorism Policing and ProtectUK.

Counter Terrorism Policing is a collaboration of UK police forces working with the UK intelligence community to help protect the public and our national security by preventing, deterring, and investigating terrorist activity.

Counter Terrorism Policing (external website)

ProtectUK is an information sharing platform which provides businesses and the public with counter terrorism support and guidance to effectively protect and prepare.

ProtectUK (external website)

ProtectUK also have a specific webpage for event organisers with information to support event organisers with counter terrorism.

ProtectUK Events (external website)

ProtectUK Martyn's Law (external website)

In June 2024 the National Protective Security Authority published new guidance for 'Mitigation of Terrorist Threats at Venues during Ingress and Egress Guidance'.

NPSA Guidance - Mitigation of Terrorist Threats at Venues during Ingress and Egress Guidance

In September 2025 the National Protective Security Authority and Sports Ground Safety Authority published new guidance for ‘Vehicle Security Barriers at Event Venues’, available below:

NPSA and SGSA Guidance - Vehicle security barriers at event venues (external website)

What advice is available for Inflatable Amusement Devices?

There have been a number of fatalities and serious incidents nationally in recent years where bouncy castles and similar inflatable devices have collapsed or blown away in windy or adverse conditions. The council's Health, Safety and Licensing Service is currently running a safety campaign to improve the safety and management of inflatable amusement devices by increasing the level of awareness of the risks, safety and management best practice.

Health and Safety law applies to the supply, hire and use of inflatables for commercial purposes. The council has produced guidance documents covering best practice for businesses hiring devices and details their responsibilities included testing and maintaining of equipment, ensuring they carry out risk assessments and comply with the appropriate safety legislation and ensuring their devices are correctly insured.

Hirers such as event organisers can take simple precautions to help avoid serious incidents. The council has produced guidance documents covering best practice for hirers which includes who's responsible, what to check before hiring and what checks to carry out on the day of hiring.

ERYC HSL Inflatables Guidance (Hirer) (pdf 604kb)

ERYC HSL Inflatables Guidance (Operators) (pdf 117kb)

The Health and Safety Executive website provides information on inflatable play equipment safety:

Health and Safety Executive - Inflatable play equipment (external website)

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