Temporary event notice (TEN)

Last Updated: 19 January 2024

You will be required to apply for a temporary event notice (TEN) if you plan to:

  • hold a one off event and carry out a 'licensable activity' at an unlicensed premises
  • hold a one off event and carry out a 'licensable activity' at a licensed premises, if the event is not covered by the Premises Licence/Club Premises Certificate
  • if a licensable activity is not included in the terms of your licence (eg holding a wedding reception at a community centre)

Licensable activity includes:

  • selling alcohol
  • serving alcohol to members of a private club
  • providing entertainment (eg music, dancing or indoor sporting events)
  • serving hot food or drink between 11pm and 5am

Where the relevant licensable activities include the supply of alcohol, the notice must make it a condition of using the premises for such supplies, that all such supplies are made by or under the authority of the premises user (i.e. the person who applied for the TEN).

Apply for a temporary event notice

Restrictions

Your event must:

  • have less than 500 people at any one time, including staff running the event
  • last no more than 168 hours or seven days

You must be at least 18 to apply.

You will need a TEN for each event you hold at the same place.

If you are a Personal Licence holder, you can submit up to 50 TEN applications and up to 10 Late TEN applications per calendar year. 

If you are not a Personal Licence holder, you can submit up to five TEN applications and up to two Late TEN applications per calendar year.

Only 15 TENs can be issued for any premises in any calendar year, with the total number of TENs not exceeding 21 days.

There must be at least 24 hours between events for TENs issued by the same person at a premises.

Withdrawing a TEN

A Temporary Event Notice may be withdrawn by the 'premises user' giving us a notice to that effect no later than 24 hours before the beginning of the event period specified in the temporary event notice. 

Refused applications  

The Police and our Environmental Health Officers have three working days in which to object to your application on the grounds of any of the four licensing objectives:

  • the prevention of crime and disorder
  • public safety
  • the prevention of public nuisance
  • the protection of children from harm  

If an objection is received the licensing authority must hold a hearing to consider the objection.

The Licensing Authority can object to your application on the grounds that the number of TENs issued in any year for the premises or by the person has been exceeded.

If you do not have a TEN and carry out an activity that you should have a licence for (or allow your premises to be used for one), you can be fined, sent to prison for up to six months, or both.

Street parties

A TEN application to hold a street party should be made at least eight weeks before the proposed date of the party.

Applications received later might not be processed in time for you to finalise the arrangements.

GOV.UK: Your guide to organising a street party

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