New Oxford Park Safety Rules: What Event Organisers Need to Know

Oxford’s parks host everything from family fun days and charity events to festivals, outdoor performances, community celebrations and sporting activities. They give organisers the space to bring people together in some of the city’s most attractive surroundings.

However, organising an event in a public park also comes with responsibilities.

Oxford City Council has introduced a new Parks Public Spaces Protection Order covering fires, barbecues, fireworks and sky lanterns. For anyone planning an outdoor event in Oxford, the new rules are a timely reminder that public safety, fire prevention and professional event security need to be considered from the earliest planning stages.

At All Time Security, we welcome measures that help protect visitors, staff, local communities and Oxford’s public spaces. Rules alone, however, cannot manage every situation. Successful outdoor events still depend on proper preparation, clear communication and people on the ground who understand how to prevent problems before they escalate.

What Has Changed in Oxford’s Parks?

Oxford City Council approved the Parks Public Spaces Protection Order 2026 on 1 September 2026. It came into force on 4 September 2026 and will remain in place for three years.

According to the council’s official information about Public Spaces Protection Orders, the order creates offences relating to:

• Creating, preparing or lighting a fire or barbecue outside a marked designated area

• Lighting a firework or another item likely to cause a fire

• Releasing a lighted sky lantern

• Obstructing an authorised officer carrying out duties under the order, including providing false information

The council states that breaches may result in a £100 fixed penalty notice or prosecution. Anyone planning an activity in an Oxford park should read the order carefully and check directly with the council where permissions, designated areas or event-specific arrangements may apply.

The new rules have arrived at an important point in the calendar. Autumn and winter bring firework displays, seasonal celebrations, festive events and community gatherings. Colder weather does not remove the danger of fire, particularly when temporary equipment, dry material, electrical installations, food traders or large crowds are involved.

For event organisers, the message is straightforward: never assume that a familiar activity is automatically permitted simply because it has taken place before.

Why the New Rules Matter for Outdoor Events

A fire, barbecue, firework or sky lantern may appear manageable when considered on its own. At a public event, however, it becomes part of a much wider environment.

There may be hundreds or thousands of visitors on site. Children may be present. Temporary structures, generators, decorations and catering equipment may all be positioned nearby. Access routes could be busy, and emergency vehicles may need to enter through areas being used by pedestrians.

Weather also changes the level of risk. Wind can carry sparks or move unsecured equipment. Rain can affect electrical systems and make evacuation routes slippery. Darkness can make it more difficult for members of the public to identify exits, barriers and restricted areas.

Sky lanterns create a particular challenge because organisers cannot control where they travel or land once released. Fireworks also require carefully managed exclusion zones, crowd boundaries and emergency procedures.

This is why outdoor event safety cannot be reduced to putting up a few barriers or positioning a security officer at the entrance. Every part of the event needs to work together.

Permission Must Come Before Promotion

One of the most expensive mistakes an organiser can make is promoting an event before confirming whether the proposed activities are allowed.

If an Oxford park event is expected to include a barbecue, firework display, fire-based performance, flame effect or another possible ignition source, the organiser should speak to the relevant authority as early as possible. The plans may affect the site selected, the event layout, the available capacity or whether the activity can proceed at all.

Organisers using council land should review Oxford City Council’s event application documents and safety guidance. These resources include information about applications, risk assessments, safety inspections, fire precautions and the use of parks and open spaces.

Larger or more unusual events may also need input from the Oxford City Safety Advisory Group. The group brings together representatives from the emergency services and council teams to advise on event safety, welfare, traffic management, licensing and other relevant controls.

Security providers can contribute useful operational knowledge during this process. A professional team can help identify likely pressure points, unauthorised entry risks, crowd behaviour concerns and practical problems that may not be obvious on a site plan.

Build the New Rules Into Your Risk Assessment

A risk assessment should reflect the real event rather than being copied from a generic template.

For an outdoor event in Oxford, organisers may need to consider:

• Whether any prohibited or controlled activity is planned

• The possibility of visitors bringing their own barbecues, fireworks or lanterns

• How restricted and designated areas will be identified

• Who will monitor the site and respond to a suspected breach

• The position of catering equipment, generators and temporary electrical supplies

• Wind, rain, frost and reduced visibility

• Emergency access and evacuation routes

• The location and type of fire-safety equipment

• How security, stewards, contractors and event management will communicate

• The needs of children, older visitors and people with disabilities

• How the site will be checked before opening and after closing

The assessment should also consider behaviour that is not officially part of the event.

For example, an organiser may have no intention of using fireworks, but somebody attending could bring them onto the site. Visitors might also attempt to light a disposable barbecue away from a designated area or release a lantern during a celebration.

A strong plan decides how these situations will be handled before they occur.

The Role of Event Security in Oxford’s Parks

Professional security is not there simply to enforce rules. The real objective is to create an environment in which people understand what is expected and problems are identified early.

All Time Security provides tailored event security services in Oxford for public events, festivals, exhibitions, sporting occasions and outdoor gatherings.

Depending on the event, a security team may support organisers with:

• Monitoring entrances and the event perimeter

• Preventing prohibited items from being brought onto the site

• Supporting proportionate bag-search procedures where appropriate

• Protecting restricted areas and event infrastructure

• Managing queues and crowd movement

• Keeping emergency and vehicle routes clear

• Monitoring behaviour around bars and catering areas

• Supporting event staff when somebody refuses to follow site rules

• Reporting hazards or suspicious activity

• Recording incidents and preserving relevant information

• Assisting with safe evacuation and emergency procedures

• Managing dispersal when the event finishes

The approach should always be proportionate to the event.

A community fun day should still feel welcoming and relaxed. A professional officer can answer questions, give directions and reassure visitors while remaining alert to emerging risks. Good event security often works quietly in the background.

Communicate the Rules Before Guests Arrive

Enforcement should not be the first time somebody learns what is prohibited.

If visitors cannot bring barbecues, fireworks, lanterns or other fire-related items to the event, say so clearly on the event website, ticket confirmation and pre-arrival information. Appropriate signage should then reinforce the message at entrances and around the site.

Communication should be simple and consistent. Security officers, stewards, volunteers and event staff must all understand the same policy.

Before opening, brief the team on:

• Which activities and items are prohibited

• Whether any authorised activity is taking place

• The boundaries of designated or restricted areas

• Who has authority to make decisions

• When security should intervene

• When an issue should be referred to event management

• How to request medical or emergency assistance

• How incidents should be recorded

Inconsistent enforcement can quickly cause frustration. If one entrance allows an item that another entrance refuses, visitors may reasonably question the policy. A joint briefing helps avoid that problem.

Pay Particular Attention to Firework Events

Firework displays need specialist planning and should never be treated as ordinary gatherings with fireworks added at the end.

The display area, spectator area, firing zone, fallout area and emergency access routes must work together. Organisers also need to anticipate how visitors will arrive and leave, particularly if the event takes place after dark in wet or cold conditions.

Security and stewarding plans may need to cover:

• Separation between spectators and the firing area

• Protection of stored equipment

• Prevention of unauthorised access

• Searches or entry conditions concerning personal fireworks

• Crowd movement before and after the display

• Vehicle and pedestrian separation

• Lost-child and vulnerable-person procedures

• Emergency communication

• Safe cancellation or postponement arrangements

• Post-event site checks

Oxford City Council identifies firework displays as the kind of event that may require consideration by its Safety Advisory Group. Organisers should allow enough time for consultation and should not leave security planning until ticket sales are already underway.

Public Safety Includes the Surrounding Community

An event can be safe inside its boundary and still create problems outside it.

Queues may block pavements. Vehicles dropping off guests may create hazards on nearby roads. Visitors may gather around entrances