If you wish to hold an event that includes ‘licensable activity’ on unlicensed premises, you must give a temporary event notice (TEN) to the licensing authority no later than ten working days before the event. Working days do not include the day we receive your notice, the day of the event, weekends, or Bank Holidays.
Licensable activity includes:
- sale and supply of alcohol
- providing entertainment, such as music, dancing or indoor sporting events
- serving hot food or drink between 11pm and 5am
You must be 18 years or older to give a TEN and can give a maximum of five TENs per year. If you are a personal licence holder, you can give a maximum of 50 TENs per year.
Your event must involve no more than 499 people at any one time and last no more than 168 hours (7 days) with a minimum of 24 hours between events and a maximum of 20 events per calendar year per premise, which must not have a total length of more than 26 days.
You can apply for a late TEN up to 5 working days before the event. You can give up to 2 late TENs, or 10 if you have a personal licence, per calendar year. Working days do not include the day we receive your notice, the day of the event, weekends, or bank holidays.
You must be an individual to serve a TEN, organisations cannot do so.
Payment
The application can be made online.
You must display a copy of the notice where it can be seen at the event.
If you do not have a TEN and carry out an activity that you should have a licence for, you can be fined, sent to prison for up to 6 months, or both.
The Police and Environmental Health can object to a TEN. If they do so a Licensing Committee hearing will be held. If you have applied for a late TEN and the Police or Environmental Health object, you cannot hold the event.
An activity that can be licensed must be carried out as detailed in a notice that must be given.
The notice must be in a specific format and must be made by someone over 18 years of age.
The notice should contain:
- if alcohol is to be supplied, a statement confirming that it is a condition of using the premises that the supplies are made under the premises user’s authority
- a statement relating to certain matters
- any other required information
The matters referred to above are:
- details of the licensable activities
- the event period and dates
- the times when during that period the activities will take place
- the maximum number of people proposed to be allowed on the premises
- any other required matters
The TEN must be given in writing (including by electronic means) to the local authority at least ten working days before the event. A fee is payable with the notice.
The local authority will acknowledge receipt of the notice by giving a notice to the premises user before the end of the first working day it was received or before the end of the second working day if the day the notice was received is not a working day.
Unless an application has been submitted electronically, the premises user must also give notice to the chief officer of the local police department no later than ten working days before the event period.
The chief police officer who receives a notice and believes that the event would undermine crime prevention objectives can serve an objection notice on the licensing authority and the premises user. This notice must be served within 48 hours of receipt of the temporary event notice.
The local licensing authority must hold a hearing if an objection notice is served. They may issue a counter notice if it considers it necessary for the promotion of crime prevention objective. A decision must be made at least 24 hours before the beginning of the event.
A police chief may modify the TEN with the consent of the premises user. In such a case an objection notice will be deemed to have been withdrawn. Counter notices may be provided by the licensing authority if the number of permitted TENs has been exceeded.
Yes. This means that you will be able to act as though your application is granted if you have not heard from the local authority by the end of the target completion period
Please see the contact details on the right hand side
Please contact your Local Authority in the first instance.
If a counter notice is given in relation to an objection notice the applicant may appeal against the decision. Appeals must be made to the local Magistrates’ court within 21 days. An appeal may not be brought later than five working days from the day of the planned event.
Please contact your Local Authority in the first instance.
We would always advise that in the event of a complaint the first contact is made with the trader by you - preferably in the form a letter (with proof of delivery). If that has not worked, if you are located in the UK, GOV.UK will give you advice. From outside the UK contact the UK European Consumer Centre
If a licensing authority decides not to issue a counter notice in relation to an objection notice the chief police officer can appeal the decision. Appeals must be made to the local Magistrates’ court within 21 days. An appeal may not be brought later than five working days from the day of the planned event.