Did you know that when you are planning a large scale event you need a license to do so? One of the most commonly forgotten details our users don’t realise is that they need to apply for their Temporary Events Notice. If you are looking to hold a one off licensed event at an unlicensed premise without the presence of either a premise, personal or club license, then it is your responsibility to get hold of your TEN (Temporary Events Notice). You can apply for this via your local council online or by post and you must be over 18.
The good news is, it isn’t a particularly complicated process, but if you don’t get all of the little details right, you won’t be awarded a license and your event will have to be cancelled. So here are the essential things to know about when applying for your TEN.
The Duration
First things first, your event must last no longer than 168 hours / 7 days and you will need one TEN for every event you hold. If they all occur consecutively, then you must leave a 24 hour gap between each event. In this instance it’s important to be honest about when you expect your event to end. Writing ‘6pm- late’ won’t go down very well and may lead to your application being refused.
The Capacity
What might be the most restricting part of the TEN criteria is that your guest list must have fewer than 500 people at all times during your event. This also includes all members of staff who will be present, so it might be an idea to be picky about who you invite if you’re expecting a large turnout.
The Quantity
The quantity of TEN’s allowed is quite specific so brace yourself… Each individual can apply for a total of 5 TEN’s a year. If you have a personal license to sell alcohol you’re in luck because you can apply for up to 50 TEN’s a year. A landlord of a premise can apply for up to 12 TEN’s a year with the condition that each event lasts no longer than 21 days. However, if the premise is not licensed, those responsible for the brand or event must apply instead for a TEN instead.
The Time Scale
There are strict timings when it comes to applying for a license and it is crucial you abide by them so you don’t ruin your chances of getting a TEN. You must apply for your TEN at least 10 working days before your event and pay a fee of £21. If you don’t apply online then you must also send a copy of your application to the police at least 10 working days before your event. By the way, the 10 days does not include the actual day of your event so try send your application in early so there will be no errors caused by internet connection failures, postal strikes, the dog eating your application etc.
Any Objections?
As unfortunate as it is, the council can reject your application as long as it is done so within 3 working days of your application. For example, if the police or Environmental Health believe that your event could threaten public safety or cause crime and disorder your application may be rejected. You can appeal a rejection or you could try and adjust your event details so that it fits better with their safety criteria. For example, you could hire bouncers to stand at the entrance of your event to search guests and be on hand should anything untoward occur.
The Penalty
Penalties range from fines to a prison sentence, so don’t be that guy who breaks all the wrong rules. All your hard work will go to waste if you give a false statement in your application, breach the terms of your TEN or you throw an event without having received or applied for a TEN. Make sure that you also display a copy of your notice at your event and keep the hard copy safe.
So now you know all the details you need for applying for a TEN, there’s nothing to stop you filling in that application form and throwing an amazing event. If you haven’t picked a space to host your event in yet, take a look at our available event spaces now.