Temporary Event Notice

Licence summary
If you wish to hold a small scale one-off event in England or Wales, you must give a temporary event notice (TEN) to your local licensing authority no later than ten clear working days before the event. If the premises where the event is to be held is in areas governed by two or more local authorities, applications must be made to each.

You must also give a copy of the notice to the police no later than ten working days before the event.

Permitted Limits:

You must be 18 years or older to give a TEN.
If you are a personal licence holder, you can give a maximum of 50 TENs per year.
If you do not hold a personal licence, you are permitted to give a maximum of 5 TENs per year.
Restrictions apply where the applicant is an “associated person” of someone who has already held a TEN, including spouses, close relations, agents and employees, and their spouses. The word “spouse” also includes someone living with the notice giver.
Your event must involve no more than 499 people (including staff and performers) at any one time.
The event must last no more than 96 hours with a minimum of 24 hours between events.
There can only be a maximum of 12 TENs a year for any particular premises, subject to an overall limit of no more than 15 days in total (e.g. where the TEN lasts for more than one day).

If your event/activity falls outside these restrictions, you will require a full Premises Licence.

Eligibility criteria
An activity that can be licensed must be carried out as detailed in a notice that must be given.

The notice must be made on the specified application form and must be made by someone over 18 years of age.

The notice should contain:

if alcohol is to be supplied, a statement confirming that it is a condition of using the premises that the supplies are made under the premises user's authority
a statement relating to certain matters
any other required information

The matters referred to above are:

details of the licensable activities
the event period
the times when during that period the activities will take place
the maximum number of people proposed to be allowed on the premises
where the relevant licensable activities include the supply of alcohol, whether this will be consumed on the premises or off the premises, or both
any other matters prescribed by the Secretary of State in regulations

Regulation summary

A summary of the regulation relating to this licence

Application evaluation process
Two copies of the TEN must be given in writing to the Licensing Department at South Hams District Council at least ten clear working days before the event (excluding the day of receipt and the day of the event). A working day is classed as any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, Christmas Day, Good Friday or a day which is a bank holiday in England and Wales. A fee of £21 is payable with the notice, please make cheques payable to South Hams District Council.

We will acknowledge receipt of the notice by sending or delivering a notice to the premises user before the end of the first working day following the day on which it was received, or if the day the notice was received was not a working day, before the end of the second working day following that day.

The premises user must also give a copy of the notice in writing to the Police Licensing Department at Totnes Police Station, Ashburton Road, Totnes, TQ9 5JY, no later than ten clear working days before the event.

Counter notices may be issued by the Licensing Authority if the permitted limits are not met (see above). Provided that the criteria set out are met, only the Police may intervene to prevent an event covered by a TEN. If the Police believe that the event would undermine crime prevention objectives, an objection notice can be served on the licensing authority and the premises user. This notice must be served within 48 hours of receipt of the temporary event notice.

If an objection notice is served, the Licensing Authority will hold a hearing in front of a Licensing Sub-Committee to determine your application. A counter notice may be issued if it is considered necessary for the promotion of the Prevention of Crime and Disorder objective. A decision must be made at least 24 hours before the beginning of the event.

The Police may modify the TEN with the consent of the premises user. In such a case an objection notice will be deemed to have been withdrawn.

Target completion time
Once South Hams District Council have received the completed application and associated supporting documents (if required) from the applicant the target completion time will be 10 days.

Will tacit consent apply?
Yes. This means that you will be able to act as though your application is granted if you have not heard from the local authority by the end of the target completion period.

Apply online (temporarily unavailable)

Apply for a temporary event notice

Forms to download, print, and post
Alternatively, click on the link below to open a copy of a TEN application form and further guidance.

Temporary Event Notice Note: To complete this form using your computer you are advised to have Adobe Acrobat Reader version 8 or above installed in order to save the form and access the help notes. Acrobat Reader can be downloaded free of charge from the Adobe website.

Changes to Police Licensing contact details
The Police Licensing Department has moved from Totnes! Please be aware that any application forms for their attention (eg Temporary Event Notices) must now be sent to Police Headquarters in Exeter. See contact details below:

Licensing Department (East)
Devon & Cornwall Police HQ
Middlemoor
EXETER
EX2 7HQ
Tel: 01392 452225
Fax: 01392 452447
Email: licensingeast@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk

Contact details

Address:
Licensing Department
South Hams District Council
Follaton House
Plymouth Road
Totnes
Devon
TQ9 5NE
Tel: 01803 861234
Fax: 01803 861294
Email: licensing@southhams.gov.uk

Failed application redress
Please contact the Licensing Department at South Hams District Council in the first instance.

If a counter notice is given in relation to an objection notice the applicant may appeal against the decision. Appeals must be made to the local Magistrates' court within 21 days. An appeal may not be brought later than five working days from the day of the planned event.

Licence holder redress
Please contact the Licensing Department at South Hams District Council in the first instance

Consumer complaint
We would always advise that in the event of a complaint the first contact is made with the trader by you - preferably in the form a letter (with proof of delivery). If that has not worked, if you are located in the UK, Consumer Direct will give you advice. From outside the UK contact the UK European Consumer Centre

Other redress
If a licensing authority decides not to issue a counter notice in relation to an objection notice the chief police officer can appeal the decision. Appeals must be made to the local Magistrates' court within 21 days. An appeal may not be brought later than five working days from the day of the planned event.

Trade associations

National Outdoor Events Association (NOEA)

Society of Event Organisers (SEO)

Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA)

TSNN Online Directory