Temporary Event Notices (TENs)

Temporary Event Notice (TEN) Requirements

TENs allow alcohol to be sold to the general public on a temporary basis. The requirements are:

• A person (the “premises user”) who is at least at 18 years old must apply for the TEN. Companies may not apply.
• The event must host no more than 499 people at all times – including staff running the event. Otherwise a premises licence is required (even if only temporarily).
• The event must last no more than 168 hours (7 days).
• If you’re organising separate but consecutive events, there must be at least a 24 hour gap between them. Note that if you already hold a retail licence (premises licence or club premises certificate) and wish to extend your operating hours for several consecutive days (e.g., Friday and Saturday of the same weekend) you may do this under a single TEN.
• The premises user may use 5 TENs a year (of which 2 may be late TENs). If they hold a personal licence to sell alcohol, 50 TENs a year (of which 10 out of the 50 may be late TENs) may be used. A TEN given by a business associate or partner, or any relative, agent, employee, or spouse of the premises user counts towards these limits.
• A late TEN must be submitted with 5-9 working days' notice not including the date of submission and the date of the event. Weekends and bank holidays do not count as working days. For example, consider a late TEN submitted on a Thursday. The five clear working days would comprise the Friday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and following Thursday. The earliest the event could take place would be the following Friday.
• A standard TEN must be submitted with at least 10 working days' notice not including the date of submission and the date of the event. For example, if a standard TEN is submitted on Thursday 1st of a month, assuming no bank holidays, the earliest the event could take place would be Friday the 16th. There is no maximum limit on how far in advance you can submit a standard TEN.

TENs for larger, outdoor events are more complicated:

Planning should start several months before the event, and the local Licensing Authority should be consulted well in advance of the TEN application. We help you prepare for the event:

• A plan of the site showing activities, entrances/exits, and parking will be required.
• Events on council land such as parks will require additional permissions.
• Risk assessments for potential hazards and an emergency plan for incidents like fires or other evacuations should be prepared.
• Adequate lighting, communication, first aid, water, sanitary facilities and waste management must be provided.

TENS Advertisement

The premises user (the individual applying for the TEN) must:

• Ensure that a copy of the TEN is prominently displayed at the premises where the temporary activity is taking place. We prepare the notice on your behalf.
• Or, ensure that the TEN is kept at the premises in the custody of the premises user.
• Or, ensure that the TEN is kept in the custody of a nominated person, at all times during the event. A notice to this effect with the nominated person’s details must be prominently displayed at the premises. Again, we prepare the notice on your behalf.

TEN Application Process & Fees

A Temporary Event Notice application must be submitted to the local Licensing Authority, police and environmental health at least 10 working days before the event begins, or 5 working days for late applications. We prepare the application.

• The council can only refuse a notice if the police or environmental health object within 3 working days.
• Objections can be made if the event could lead to crime and disorder, public nuisance, threaten public safety or put children at risk.
• If there's an objection, the council's licensing committee will hold a hearing no later than 24 hours before the event, unless all parties agree a hearing is not needed (e.g. through negotiated variation of the notice). The committee can approve, add conditions, or reject the notice.
• If you disagree with the committee's decision, you can appeal to your local magistrates' court within 21 days and at least 5 working days before the event.
• If the police or environmental health object to a late TEN, the notice is invalid, and the event cannot be held..

Fee and Costs:

In the event of objections, representation at hearings will incur extra costs.

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