Temporary Event Notices (TENs)

The system of permitted temporary activities is intended as a light touch process, and as such, the carrying on of licensable activities does not have to be authorised by the licensing authority on application. Instead, a person wishing to hold an event at which such activities are proposed to be carried on ('the premises user') gives notice to the licensing authority of the event (a 'temporary event notice' or 'TEN').

The notice must be given to the licensing authority in the form, and within the timescales prescribed within the regulations to the Licensing Act 2003.

Licensable activity includes:

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

The process of applying is formally known as ‘serving' a Temporary Event Notice.

You'll also need a TEN if a particular licensable activity is not included in the terms of your existing licence, for example holding a wedding reception at a community centre.

Restrictions

Your event must:

• have fewer than 500 people at all times – including staff running the event
• last no more than 168 hours (7 days)

You must be at least 18 to apply for a TEN.

Number of notices you can apply for

You need a TEN for each event you hold on the same premises.

You can get up to 5 TENs a year. If you already have a personal licence to sell alcohol, you can be given up to 50 TENs a year.

A single premises can have up to 15 TENs applied for in one year, as long as the total length of the events is not more than 21 days.

If you're organising separate but consecutive events, there must be at least a 24 hour gap between them.

The notices must also be sent to the police and environmental health authority for Stratford-on-Avon District at the same time as the licensing authority. Where the application is sent by post the responsibility for this rests with the premises user. If the application is made online then the process will occur automatically. The forms must be received by these authorities at least 10 clear working days before the event is to take place.

There is a process whereby the police or environmental health may object to a TEN, within strict limits, and trigger a hearing of a licensing sub-committee, which will then consider the service of a counter-notice. Alternatively the premises user may come to an agreement with the police or environmental health and alter the TEN in such a way as it allays their concerns.

The cost of submitting a TEN is £21.

The fee is not refundable if the notice is withdrawn or cancelled, is made too late, or if a statutory limit is exceeded.

Please note: a temporary event notice cannot be changed once acknowledged by the licensing authority. If your event does not go ahead as planned you can cancel the TEN at any time up to 24 hours before the TEN start time and the TEN will not count towards your total yearly allowance. However, your application fee cannot be refunded.

Whilst the minimum notice you have to give is 10 working days (you do NOT count Saturdays and Sundays or any Bank Holidays), we would encourage you to serve your TEN as soon as possible during the process of arranging the event to make sure you can get the permission you want.

When calculating the 10 working days notice period, please note that this does not include the day the notice is received by the licensing authority or the day of the event.

• To make notification to Stratford-on-Avon District Council and pay online, use our online form for making a temporary events notification.

• To apply by post, download a temporary events form. A Microsoft Word version is also available, which can be filled in on-screen then printed if this is more convenient. The form must be sent to the police and environmental health department; please select these from the list of responsible authorities . Payment can be by cheque, made payable to Stratford-on-Avon District Council.