Parks and open spaces fees

In this section:

This page details what you need to pay and when you need to pay it if you are planning to hold an event in our parks.

Administration fee

All applications must pay a non-refundable administration fee of £25 plus VAT.

You must pay the administration fee within 5 working days of submitting your application.

If you apply after the application deadline, you will also need to pay a late booking fee of £50 plus VAT.

This new fee will cover the cost incurred for checking, validating, and processing applications and associated paperwork.

When to apply

Event Classification Application deadline Late booking fee
Small event 12 weeks 8 weeks
Major event 24 weeks 16 weeks
Administration fee 2024/25 £25 + VAT £50 + VAT
Administration fee 2025/26 £27 + VAT £53 + VAT

Event classifications

Small event

If the total capacity for your event is less than 499 people, including, staff, spectators, visitors, and participants etc, you should apply as a small event.

Major event

Your event will be considered a major event if it meets one or more of the following criteria:

  • the event has not previously been held in the borough
  • has either a capacity of over 500 people or one or more risk elements associated with it
  • it takes place annually, has a capacity of over 500 people with associated risk elements and there has been a change of event manager
  • it is an existing major event, and the organisers wish to introduce one or more risk elements which have not been covered by previous safety advisory group (SAG) meetings
  • there have been past issues with the event which mean that a SAG meeting needs to take place for future events
  • the event has on-going high-risk content (e.g. pyrotechnics)

If your event is approved

Once your application is approved in principle, you will be provided with the statement of hire that will confirm the:

  • hire period
  • relevant damage bond, that will be applied unless the event is exempt
  • hire fees, that will be applied unless the event is exempt

You must confirm by email to events@solihull.gov.uk that you wish to proceed with your booking within five working days or applications will not proceed any further and no dates will be held.

The Core Box Office will call to take your payment within their opening hours. These are currently 9:30am to 2:30pm, Monday to Saturday. The number calling to make payment will be from a withheld number. Please be aware the number calling to make payment will be from a withheld number.

For more information or if you have any queries, please contact events@solihull.gov.uk.

Commercial events

We have introduced damage bonds to cover any reparation work. This might include our time for the assessment and costing works, associated administration, reinstating, repairing, replacing, or cleansing of the site.

To ensure damage bonds are fair and reasonable they have been calculated on event capacity.

If no damage has been caused, the damage bond will be returned.

Commercial Event Damage Bonds 2024/25 Cost
Up to 2,000 person capacity per event £500
Over 2,000 and up to 4,000 person capacity per event £1,000
Over 4,000 and up to 6,000 person capacity per event £2,000
Over 6,000 and up to 8,000 person capacity per event £2,500
Over 8,000 person capacity per event £4,000

Paying your bond

Damage bonds will be payable no later than 21 days after the date of your invoice. Invoices will be issued within 5 working days of an application for an event being approved.

Exemptions

Damage bonds will be applicable to all commercial events based on the above schedule. Damage incurred from charity or community events will be handled on a case-by-case basis and may be invoiced for any reparation.

Commercial events 2024/25 2025/26
Up to 2,000 person capacity per day Per trading per day £459 £490
Up to 2,000 person capacity per day Per non-trading day £129 £138
Over 2,000 and up to 4,000 person capacity Per trading day £2,100 £2,240
Over 2,000 and up to 4,000 person capacity Per non-trading day £362 £386
Over 4,000 and up to 6,000 person capacity Per trading day £3,105 £3,315
Over 4,000 and up to 6,000 person capacity Per non-trading day £534 £570
Over 6,000 and up to 8,000 person capacity Per trading day £4,660 £4,970
Over 6,000 and up to 8,000 person capacity Per non-trading day £800 £855
Over 8,000 person capacity per day Per trading day £6,990 £7,460
Over 8,000 person capacity per day Per non-trading day £1,200 £1,280
Fairground rides 2024/25 2025/26
Daily rate per ride £73 £78
Charity Events (Registered Charities & Not for Profit Organisations only) 2024/25 Charge 2025/26 Charge
Large sized events run by national charities/community organisations, over 2,000 capacity Charge per day £575 £615
Large sized events run by national charities/community organisations, over 2,000 capacity Charge per non-trading day £180 £192
Small scale events/community groups up to 2,000 capacity Charge per day £25 £27
Events organised by Friends of Parks Groups Charge per day Free Free

Hire fees

Hire fees will be payable no later than 21 days from date of your invoice.

Fees and charges for hiring the Council’s parks or open spaces are reviewed and set annually.