Overview
Temporary event notices (TENs) are a way of providing permission for small, occasional events at a premises or area (including outdoor places) where licensable activities are not normally allowed.
Licensable activities include one or more of the following:
- Retail sale and supply of alcohol (this includes alcohol supplied as part of an admission ticket, and pay bars at private functions).
- Provision of 'regulated entertainment' (which includes live and recorded music, dancing, indoor sporting events, the performance of plays, and the exhibition of films).
- Provision of hot food or hot drink between 11pm and 5am.
As a rule of thumb, if an event includes any of the above activities and is open to the general public, it is licensable. However, there are some exceptions, and we suggest that you contact our Licensing Team for advice if you are in any doubt about whether the proposed event needs a temporary event notice.
Common exceptions are garden fetes, bazaars, etc, which are generally exempt from requiring a licence for regulated entertainment - so long as the event is not held for private gain. Music that is incidental to a non licensable activity (e.g. a fashion show or keep fit class) is also exempted. There are also exemptions for regulated entertainment when it takes place as part of a religious service or at places of public religious worship (e.g. nativity plays during a service anywhere, choral works or a play in a church even where not part of a service).
There are no exemptions for the sale of alcohol, which will always require a licence.
Is there a fee?
The fee is £21 each time a temporary event notice is submitted to the council.