Are you planning a small, one-off event at a venue that does not hold a full licence such as a school, village hall or outdoor space? Also planning to sell alcohol or have late night entertainment?
Then you’ll need to obtain permission from the local authority by applying for a Temporary Event Notice (TEN). It’s essential to obtain a TEN for all ‘licensable activity’ that is not on your venue’s licence – if you don’t get one, then you can be fined, sent to prison for up to six months, or both!
What is licensable activity?
Licensable activity includes the sale or supply of alcohol, the provision of late night hot food and drink (between 11pm-5am), opening a venue outside of its licensed hours, and the provision of ‘regulated entertainment’.
Regulated entertainment is defined as any of the following activities that take place in the presence of an audience:
Recorded music i.e. Disco or DJ (between 11pm and 8am)
Karaoke (between 11pm and 8am)
Unamplified live music (between 11pm and 8am)
Amplified live music (between 11pm and 8am)
Play or dance performance (between 11pm and 8am)
Indoor sporting event (between 11pm and 8am)
Film screening
Boxing, wrestling or martial arts
Adult entertainment
Important note: A Temporary Event Notice covers you for gatherings of up to 499 people, for a duration of no longer than seven days. If your event does not meet these criteria you will need to apply for either a premises licence or a club premises certificate.
Who can apply for a Temporary Event Notice?
Any individual aged over 18 can apply for a TEN and you can obtain up to five TENs per year. If you already have a personal licence to sell alcohol, you can be given up to 50 TENs a year.
How to apply for a Temporary Event Notice
You must make the application to the local authority governing the borough or district into which your proposed venue falls. You may be able to complete the application online or otherwise download and print the necessary forms to be posted. You will have to pay a fee of £21.
Don’t forget you may be responsible for ensuring the police and Environmental Health also receive copies of the TEN within the notice period.
In your application it is important to be very accurate about exactly what will be taking place and the dates and times that your event is to cover. You could be fined if you make any false statements in your application, or face prosecution if you breach the terms of the notice.
If you are successful in your application and your event goes ahead, you must keep your TEN on the premises on the day and display a copy of the notice somewhere it can be easily seen.
In summary
Temporary Events Notices can be trickier than they look – give yourself plenty of time to make your application and if you’re in any doubt whether you need one or not talk to your local council.
