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Temporary event notice

Under the Licensing Act 2003 temporary event notices (TENs) are available for short-term alcohol and public entertainment licensing.

The system involves an event organiser (the "premises user") giving a TEN to the licensing authority and copying this to the police and the local authority exercising environmental health functions.

TENs can be used to authorise relatively small-scale ad hoc events held in or on any premises involving no more than 499 people at any one time. 

The fee for this process is £21.00.


TENs can be used to authorise relatively small-scale ad hoc events held in or on any premises involving no more than 499 people at any one time. The premises user must, no later than 10 working days before the day on which the event is to start (or 5 working days if serving a "late TEN"), give at least one copy of the notice to us, together with the prescribed fee of £21.00.

Anyone aged 18 or over can have a maximum of five TENs per calendar year (2 of which may be "late TENs"). Personal licence holders can have maximum of fifty TENs per calendar year (10 of which may be "late TENs").

TENs are subject to other maximum limits, as set out below:

  • Each event covered by a TEN can last up to 168 hours;
  • For event periods occurring wholly or partly in 2022 or 2023, TENs can be submitted 20 times in the calendar year for each premises, for other event periods, 15 times in a calendar year for each premises;
  • For event periods (or any part of a period) occurring in 2022 or 2023, 26 days allowed in the calendar year for each premises, for other event periods, 21 days in a calendar year for each premises;
  • There must be a minimum of 24 hours between events notified by a premises user or associates of that premises user in respect of the same premises.

Yes. Late notices can be given no later than 5 working days but no earlier than 9 working days before the event in relation to which the notice is given. A late notice given later than 5 working days before the event to which it relates will be returned as void and the activities described in it will not be authorised.

The number of late notices that can be given in any one calendar year is limited to 10 for personal licence holders and 2 for non-personal licence holders. These count towards the total number of temporary event notices (i.e. 50 temporary event notices per year for personal licence holders and 5 temporary event notices for non-personal licence holders).

If there is an objection from either the police or the local authority exercising environmental health functions, a counter notice will be issued by us and this will mean that the event cannot go ahead (there is no hearing or appeal process in respect of these matters).

Yes, as long as you are 18 or over you can give a maximum of 5 TENs per calendar year. A personal licence holder can give a maximum of 50 TENs per calendar year.

From 1st January to 31st December.

Our address is:

The Licensing Authority
Licensing Unit,
Sefton MBC,
Magdalen House,
30 Trinity Road,
Bootle, L20 3NJ

The responsible authorities are as follows:

Merseyside Police
Licensing Unit
Police Headquarters
Rose Hill
15 Cazneau Street
Liverpool
L3 3AN.

Environment Section
Sefton MBC,
Magdalen House,
30 Trinity Road,
Bootle, L20 3NJ

If you use the "do it online" option we will serve notice on your behalf.

Yes.

If you wish for example to use your pub for an event involving the provision of regulated entertainment, e.g. for a wedding, where your premises licence does not authorise such a provision of regulated entertainment, it may be authorised by a TEN. However do not forget that the limits in relation to permitted temporary activities will still apply (no more than 15 per premise per calender year; see 1. above). 

However if the police or the local authority exercising environmental health functions are satisfied that allowing the premises to be used in accordance with the TEN would undermine the licensing objectives, they must, no later than 48 hours after being given a copy of the TEN, give the premises user and us an objection notice. We must then hold a hearing to consider the notice and, having regard to the notice, we will issue a counter notice if we consider it necessary for the promotion of licensing objectives to do so.

This may mean that either:

  1. The event cannot go ahead, or 
  2. The event can go ahead but with certain conditions attached for the duration of the event (however only in those circumstances where at least a part of the premises in relation to which the TEN is given is already subject to a premises licence or club premises certificate with any such conditions being consistent with the activity authorised by the TEN and any existing conditions attaching to the subsisting licence or certificate).

Yes, as long as you ensure that the number of people on the premises during the event period authorised by the TEN does not exceed 499 at any one time. If you think that more than 499 people will attend the event you will need to apply for a premises licence to cover the event. Otherwise, if this limit is exceeded, the event will be unauthorised and the premises user liable to prosecution. 

Yes.

A TEN can be given in respect of both indoor and outdoor events. "Premises" for the purposes of the Act means any place, whether indoors or outdoors. For example, it could cover a town square, part of a park, or a street. But remember the limits in relation to permitted temporary activities (for example the number of people who can be on the premises at any one time) will apply. 

No.

Only the police or local authority exercising environmental health functions can intervene to prevent an event covered by a TEN taking place (or agree a modification of the arrangements for such an event). However only a limited number of TENs can be given in respect of any particular premises each year, and the powers given in the Act to the police to close premises in certain cases of disorder or noise nuisance extend to premises in respect of which a TEN has effect. 

When a TEN is issued and temporary activities take place, the premises user must ensure that:

  1. A copy of the TEN is prominently displayed at the premises; or,
  2. The TEN is kept at the premises either in his/her custody or in the custody of a person working at the premises who has been nominated for that purpose (in this case a notice specifying that fact and the position held by the person must be prominently displayed at the premises).

Where a TEN is issued and a counter notice has been issued with imposed conditions, then those conditions have to be attached to the TEN and displayed as 1. above.

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