Tourism and events

Our team is here to assist if you're interested in hiring a static pitch, applying for a flexible roaming permit, distributing free printed materials, or exploring other spaces available on Barnsley's high streets across the borough. We'll help you choose the ideal location to reach your target audience:

Our spaces are most suited for:

  • Company promotions/brand awareness events
  • Product launches
  • Food and drink promotions (samples sip or bite size)
  • Charity and fundraising events
  • Market research
  • Leaflet distribution
  • Promotional advertising campaigns
  • PR stunts

Download our information, fees and charges guide for booking promotional spaces.

Bookable spaces

We provide a variety of outdoor promotional spaces in top locations. Our team can assist you in selecting the best space and location for your needs, allowing you to reach your target audience:

  • Barnsley town centre
  • Wombwell
  • Penistone
  • Hoyland
  • Cudworth
  • Goldthorpe
  • Royston

Promotional event space

Barnsley town centre

Offers dedicated static outdoor pitches starting from 4m x 4m in size, or you can apply for a flexible roaming permit to move around the town centre and reach a wider audience.

Wombwell, Penistone, Hoyland, Cudworth, Goldthorpe and Royston

Offer dedicated static outdoor pitches starting from 3m x 3m in size on most high streets.  Flexible roaming permits are also available, allowing you to move around to reach a wider audience, or use when static pitches are unavailable.

Download our information, fees and charges guide for booking promotional spaces.

Charity and voluntary sector organisations

Static promotional pitches are bookable for charitable events, hire fees for promotional pitches and flexible roaming permits will still apply to all sites, however we may be able to offer space at a reduced rate. Please contact us prior to submitting the booking form.

There is no charge for any organisation or person wishing to book promotional space for a charitable street collection through bucket fundraising.

You must be in possession of a charitable street collections licence at the time of your promotional event dates. Booking requests will initially require permission from us for your promotional event space prior to applying for the licence.

Any bookings accepted will be given on a provisional basis until we've received confirmation you've been granted a charitable street collections licence. If a licence is declined your promotional event space will automatically be cancelled.

Visit Charitable Street Collections Licence for more details. 

Food and drink promotions

Only sample size food and drinks are allowed in our bookable promotional event pitches and our flexible roaming permits. Samples of alcohol are not permitted in any of our spaces.

Any request for promotions involving the advertising of alcohol will be referred to and steered by our Public Health team.

Booking restrictions

We're unable to accept bookings which conflict with our core values and policies. For this reason, requests for space involving any promotions associated with gambling, tobacco, vaping, and any other smoking related products will not be permitted.

We don't permit any promotion of products of a harmful, undesirable, offensive and objectionable nature.

Promotional event spaces aren't bookable for public assemblies (this term includes demonstrations). Its best practice to liaise with South Yorkshire Police by contacting 101.

Promotional spaces aren't bookable for political related events and religious instruction.

All promotions will be considered by our Place Management team and such factors such as the scale and nature of your event, our priorities and programme of events will be considered when making decisions of bookings.

Things to think about

  • Access: being situated in and around the main high street, some of our sites aren't accessible to vehicles. They may also have restrictions on when you can come and go.
  • The weather: outdoor promotional event pitches are uncovered.
  • The setting up of a promotional event is the consent holder's responsibility.
  • Our promotional static pitches aren't supplied with any equipment.
  • There's no power source available in any of our promotional spaces. The use of generators will need written permission prior to booking. (We'll only consider silent diesel-powered generators).
  • Vehicles which have been given permission to remain on site must form part of the promotion. The vehicle must be fully branded.
  • Branded vehicles given permission to remain on site in Barnsley town centre within the pedestrianised core retail of the high street must be in position by 9.30am and will not be able to move until 4.30pm, to adhere with the current traffic regulation order. Exceptions will apply when instructed to move by the police or council.
  • Branded vehicles given permission to remain on site at Wombwell must be in place by 10am and will not be able to move until 3pm, to adhere with the current traffic regulation order. Exceptions apply when instructed to move by the police or council.
  • Public liability insurance is needed for all bookings with a minimum cover of £5 million. You may be asked to supply a risk assessment or method statement if your promotional event is considered more complex.
  • Should any promotional event be cancelled after a consent permit has been issued, administration charges up to the full hire fee for the promotional space will become payable.

The Place Management team reserve the right to charge additional fees if extra staff time is spent on the managing and monitoring of your promotional event., this includes any out of hour deliveries of promotional trailers.

Conditions of use and cancellations

Should any promotional event be cancelled after a consent permit has been issued, administration charges up to the full hire fee for the promotional space will become payable.

You'll need to comply with our equal opportunities and health and safety policies.

For full details of our terms, please read our conditions of use.

How to book

We recommend that you contact us by email at towncentre@barnsley.gov.uk to check availability and discuss your needs. If you've a date or a promotional space in mind, we may be able to make a provisional booking.

Please complete the online booking form, you'll be prompted to upload a copy of your public liability insurance and any other supporting documents we may have requested.

A payment method to clear the outstanding balance will be agreed, and you’ll finally be issued with a formal written consent and a permit which authorises you’re booking and access to the site.

Leaflet distribution

A consent permit is required to distribute leaflets, flyers, cards, menus and any other such free printed material, it’s not permitted to hand out materials in the form of a sticker or any other self-adhesive backing.

Complete the online form in the section ‘bookable spaces’ if you're requesting to distribute printed materials from one of our static promotional event spaces. Distribution will be restricted within the boundary of the allocated pitch.

A consent Permit will be required when handing out free printed material throughout the borough, the consent permit cannot be used to handout products or samples, and it does not allow the placing of any free printed materials on parked vehicles, buildings, or any other structures.

No free printed material may be distributed that encourages the irresponsible consumption of alcohol.  Any requests which involve alcohol will be considered on an individual basis, in consultation with our Public Health team.

Exemptions

A consent permit isn't needed if the material being distributed is:

  • for political purposes
  • for religious purposes or other beliefs
  • on behalf of a charity
  • inside a building, bus or taxi
  • in letterboxes

Waste management

Public waste bins must not be used to discard of any unwanted materials generated from your distribution activities. All waste must be disposed of responsibly. Should we incur any extra cleaning costs, then an appropriate retrospective charge will be levied along with any associated administration costs.

Conditions of consent

For full details of our terms, please read our conditions of consent.

Permits and fees

Type of permit Fee Additional permits
Day rate £20 per distributor N/A
Monthly rate £50 one distributor £35 per distributor
Quarterly rate £90 one distributor £45 per distributor
Replacement or amendment £20 each N/A

How to apply

We recommend that you contact us by email at towncentre@barnsley.gov.uk to check availability and discuss your requirements before completing a booking form.

Simply complete the online booking form below, you'll be prompted to upload a copy of your public liability insurance and provide a copy of all free printed material you plan to distribute.

If we approve your application, you'll need to pay the fee by a debit or credit card transaction. A consent permit will be emailed to the address provided in the application once the balance has been cleared.

 

Buskers and street performers

We welcome activity which enhances the experience and atmosphere of our high streets.

Buskers and street performers don't need a licence to perform in the Barnsley borough, unless you're performing for a charity.

You must follow our code of conduct to consider the needs of others nearby.

Code of conduct

  • Children under the age of 14 aren't allowed to busk. We recommend young people under the age of 16 be accompanied by an adult.
  • Specific area zones are allocated for busking. This is except for when pre-booked events/activities are taking place. The following areas will permit one busker per zone. We recommend of a 100 metre gap between performers.

    • Zone 1 – Cheapside
    • Zone 2 – Queen Street
    • Zone 3 – May Day Green
    • Zone 4 – Peel Square
    • Zone 5 – Market Street
    • Zone 6 – Albert Street
  • When choosing your pitch, please avoid blocking access to shops, offices, residences and fire escapes. You also need to avoid other amenities, such as cash machines and telephone boxes.

  • Please be respectful to street traders including The Big Issue vendors. We recommend at least a 20 metre gap.

  • You're responsible for ensuring that your presence doesn't cause an obstruction of the highway including the gathering of crowds, preventing any trip hazards from your equipment, this includes the placing of donation hats or buckets.

  • We ask that you don't perform for longer than three hours from the same place. This is to respect residents, workers and other users of our high streets.

  • Amplification is not encouraged as it often generates several complaints.  We ask that noise levels throughout your performance are kept at a reasonable level to avoid being asked to lower the volume or cease performing altogether.

  • You should have a varied repertoire so as not to cause undue nuisance to residents, retailers, or any other users.  Ensure your performances are not delivered in a manner that is dangerous to yourself or anyone else. 

  • Barnsley is a family friendly borough, and a performer’s actions, appearance, dress, lyrics, script, or props must not be of a nature that could cause offence or alarm to other users of our high streets.

  • We appreciate members of the public may wish to contribute for enjoyable performances, you must not actively solicit monetary contributions, this includes signs or the passing around of a hat.

  • Care must be taken in protecting your own equipment and/or any contributions gained.

  • The selling of any merchandise including CD’s is not permitted.

  • Performers must comply immediately to any request made by the Town Centre Wardens, South Yorkshire Police, or any officer of Barnsley Council, this may involve lowering the volume, moving locations or even cease performing altogether.

Read our code of conduct.

Report a problem

If you've a problem with a busker or street performer, please speak to them to try and resolve this. If the problem continues, please contact us.

For more details

For any extra enquiries, or if you're a large group who want to hire a dedicated event space, please contact us.