Temporary Event Notices & Temporary Licences

Temporary Event Notices are for small events not exceeding 500 people (ie 499 plus the person specified on the notice) and can be used to ‘licence’ any of the activities that could otherwise be covered under a Licensing Act 2003 Premises Licence.

Up to 15 notices can be given each year. There are however some additional rules-

Each notice can cover a period of up to 168 hours from start to end, with no more than 21 days in total a year.
At least 10 working days notice must be given to the Council, excluding the first day of the event and the day that the notice is given, although a limited number of 5-day ‘late’ notices can be given.
There must be a gap of 24 hours between notices.
Each person (and any family member or business partner in combination) can only give 5 notices a year, unless they hold a Licensing Act 2003 personal licence in which case they can give 50.

Strictly speaking a “TEN” is not a permission, but a notification to the Council that a small event is going to take place. The Police and Noise Control Officers are the only people that can object to a TEN and if they do, the matter will be considered at a hearing at the Council offices unless the notice is a ‘late’ one. With late notices, any objection means that the notice cannot be used.

Conditions can be added to a Temporary Event Notice, but only if a premises licence is already in force. It is therefore best that you explain on the form or in a covering letter that you will implement measures to uphold the licensing objectives, such as asking for proof of age before selling alcohol.

Used imaginatively, TENs can be used in a variety of circumstances where a licence would otherwise be required. Our licensing solicitors have successfully used them to licence events for up to 20,000 people where the licensable activities take place in small discrete locations on one main site. They can be used as a simple and easy way to obtain an ‘extension’ of an existing licence for a particular occasion.

If you would like us to act on your behalf, simply give us a call and we will complete the form for you and submit it to the licensgin authority, if necessary discussing the notice with the police and noise officers first. Our fees for a TEN start at £160+VAT, including the amount that is payable to the Council.