Back in 1981, it was estimated that ten million people turned out for street parties to celebrate the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer.

Up and down the country, there were quintessentially British scenes of jolly neighbours waving Union Jack flags, gathered around trestle tables trimmed with bunting and heaving with cakes and sandwiches. But with just two weeks to go before Prince William marries Kate Middleton, there seems to be much less enthusiasm. Organisers have until tomorrow to apply to local authorities to close off streets for parties and, according to Local Government Association figures, there have only been 4,000 applications so far.

Bradford was in the lowest third of a recent poll of applications. There are just four – in Ilkley, Baildon, Cullingworth and Burley-in-Wharfedale.

The poor turnout is reflected across the North. Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle have less than 30 street parties planned between them, compared to more than 500 in London and hundreds more in the Home Counties.

Could the apathy be down to a North-South divide, or is there more to it? With the wedding day, April 29, declared a national holiday, sandwiched between the Easter break and May Day, travel companies say people are taking the opportunity to head off for a spring break. ‘Escape from the royal wedding frenzy’ was the promotional blurb for a Palm Island resort released this week.

Then there’s the potential bureaucratic headache of organising a public event.

No doubt keen for the royal wedding to generate a nationwide feelgood factor, David Cameron has been fronting a Government drive to promote street parties, stressing that communities don’t have to pay for street closures or seek entertainment licences or health and safety permission.

A Bradford Council spokesman said: “Private parties do not require an entertainment licence unless they are large-scale events, such as those requiring ticket-only entry, being widely advertised or being organised for profit.

“Road-closure orders are required when an event is taking place on or near the public highway, and it is considered unsafe to go ahead without access to the road being stopped.”

As a young mum, Liz Ward helped to organise a street party in her Shipley community for the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977, and another one four years later for Charles and Diana’s wedding. Now a grandma, she believes street parties have become outdated.

“Looking back, it all seems a bit quaint. We did it for the children, but these days they’re all inside on computers,” she said. “The street parties were fun but it wasn’t that long after the 1950s and times were different. Communities are more fragmented now. I don’t even live on a street anymore.

“My daughter lives in a village but says nobody is interested in a street party because it would be a nightmare getting loads of people together outside. People are scared of compensation claims if anything goes wrong. It’s sad, really.”

Dave Morrison doesn’t agree that communities have become fractured and disinterested. He is chairman of Allerton Children’s Centre, which is organising a royal wedding party complete with donkey rides, games of ‘musical thrones’ and sandwiches shaped like crowns.

Among those organising the event, in Allerton’s Ladyhill Park on Thursday, April 28, are Asian residents keen to get involved.

“As far as Allerton is concerned, there’s plenty of enthusiasm for the royal wedding. People are very much looking forward to celebrating it,” says Dave. “The enthusiasm goes right across the cultural mix. We have a group of 22 parents organising this event, and several are Asian parents who are really up for it. There’ll be a cultural mix in the food too – including pakoras fit for a prince!”

Dave says the event has brought out a lively community spirit. “People are making bunting and some parents are organising a wedding cake decorating workshop.

“The royal wedding is a historic event and we want our celebrations to be something the whole community can enjoy and remember.”