Residents can now apply to close their streets for this year’s The Big Lunch.

If you and your neighbours would like to lunch together on the day, you must let the council know your plans before 1 May.

The Big Lunch sees locals across the country hold daytime street parties. The initiative aims to help communities become better connected – building ties between people of all ages and backgrounds and encouraging safer, friendlier neighbourhoods.

Last year, there were five big lunches organised in Sutton.

The seventh annual The Big Lunch will happen on Sunday 7 June. If you would like more information about the event including plenty of advice, go to The Big Lunch website.

Once your application is approved, you will need to notify everyone on the street. Though the road may be closed, people who live there must still be allowed access to drive to and from their properties. As a result, you will also need someone supervising and maintaining the closure at each end of the street at all times. This means you will need to recruit friends or neighbours to help out. We will loan you road closure signs to use.

Residents have the opportunity to close their streets for summer parties, lunches and play days up to September as part of Sutton’s Take Part Take Pride festival.

More information will be available on the council website soon.

Mary Morrissey, Sutton Council’s Strategic Director of the Environment, Housing and Regeneration Services Directorate, said:

“Take Part Take Pride is about bringing people together in Sutton and what better way to kick off the festival than with a big community lunch?

“If you are interested in closing your street for a summer gathering, please do get in touch. We want everyone in Sutton to join together, have fun, and really take part and take pride in our borough.”

If you would like to apply to close your street for The Big Lunch, email as soon as possible and you will be sent an application form.