Licensing policy

25.1 A temporary event notice [TEN] is a quick way to obtain temporary permission to carry out licensable activities. A TEN is required to be given for the use of a premises or an area for one or more licensable activities which may involve the sale of alcohol, regulated entertainment or late night refreshment (LNR) which are not authorised by a Premises Licence or Club Premises Certificate.

25.2 TEN’s are often given for premises not currently covered by a premises licence or club premises certificate. They can also be used to extend the hours of premises or clubs that currently have permissions. TEN’s can be used by individuals to authorise relatively small‐scale ad hoc events held in or on any premises involving no more than 499 people at any one time, including any staff, organisers or performers and lasting for no more than 168 hours (7 days)

25.3 A maximum of twelve TEN’s can be submitted each calendar year for any premises. One premises can operate its business under TEN’s for a maximum of 21 days in a calendar year.

25.4 The most important aspect of the system of permitted temporary activities is that no authorisation as such is required for these events from the Licensing Authority. The process involves notification of an event to the Licensing Authority, the police and the environmental health authority. Only the police and environmental health may intervene to prevent such an event from taking place.

25.5 The Licensing Authority may only ever intervene itself, if the limit on numbers of events is exceeded. Otherwise, the Licensing Authority is only required to issue a timely acknowledgement.

25.6 For a ‘Standard’ TEN, the premises user must, no later than 10 clear working days before the day on which the event is to start and not including the day of the event, give a notice to us. This should have with it the prescribed fee. You should also send a copy on the same day to the Police and another to Environmental Health Authority. The Police and/or Environmental Health may submit an objection notice if they consider that by allowing the event to take place at least one licensing objective would not be met.

25.7 Where the Police or Environmental Health object they will serve an objection notice on you. You can then discuss the event and agree modifications to address their concerns. If no agreement is reached, we will hold a hearing to consider the objection.

25.8 If the TEN is in connection with licensed premises, the Licensing Sub Committee may impose one or more of the existing licence conditions. Conditions can only be imposed on the TEN where they already exist on the premises licence or the club premises certificate. The Act requires the conditions to be appropriate for the promotion of the licensing objectives and not inconsistent with the carrying out of the licensable activities.

25.9 There are also ‘Late’ TEN’s which can be served between 9 and 5 clear working days before the day on which the event is to start and not including the day of the event. If there is an objection from either the Police or Environmental Health, the event will not go ahead because there is no ability to hold a hearing or agree modifications.

25.10 The Council have an established ‘Safety Advisory Group’ (SAG) comprising of representatives from the emergency services and other statutory agencies. This Group advise and co‐ordinate planning for public events in the district whether or not a premises licence or a temporary event notice is needed.

25.11 We recommend that you provide as much notice as possible of any event you intend to hold under a TEN. You should ensure that you provide as much specific detail about the nature of your event as is possible on the TEN. E.g. whether the premises are an open field, beer tent or an area inside a building.