Notes to accompany granted Temporary Event Notices

Please find attached copy of Temporary Event Notice for the above event. As you can see this has been duly endorsed and the document constitutes permission for the licensable activities applied for. The following is some general advice that we have compiled for event holders. As you can appreciate, temporary events can range from PTA organised school events, regattas and other community events, to pubs that are requesting an extension for a special occasion. Not all of the following will necessarily apply to all.

Duties of the premises user

When premises are being used for a purpose specified in a temporary event notice, the premise user must: -

Display a copy of the notice at the premises; or
Ensure that the notice is kept at the premises in his custody or in the custody of a person he has nominated and who is present and working at the premises. In this situation, notice specifying that the temporary event notice is in the custody of the nominated person and the position held at the premises by that person must be prominently displayed at the premises.

Where the notice display requirements are not complied with, a police or licensing officer can request the premises user to produce the notice for examination. An offence is committed if, on request, the premises user fails to produce the licence without reasonable excuse.

In practical terms, it is advisable to ensure that a copy of the temporary event notice is prominently displayed at the entrance to premises where a temporary event is taking place.

Preventing noise nuisance

If the licensable activities applied for include live or amplified recorded music, particularly late at night, then you are advised to ensure that the noise is kept to a level to ensure that noise nuisance does not result. You may wish to consider the following preventative measures:

keeping doors and windows closed
use of noise limiters on amplification equipment
checking the levels from the nearest property likely to be affected by any noise, and taking action to reduce the levels if found to be too loud.
stopping the music earlier than the terminal hour for the sale of alcohol. As you can appreciate, noise after 11pm is more likely to cause a nuisance than the same noise earlier in the evening.
Not disposing of bottles late at night/ early in the morning
Putting notices up asking customers to leave quietly
Asking the DJ or musician to make an announcement at the end of the evening requesting respect for neighbouring properties

You could also speak or write to near neighbours in advance to advise them of the event and give them contact details of the premises user, if required.

It should be noted that police have powers to close down temporary events with no notice on the grounds of disorder or because of public nuisance caused by noise emanating from the premises.

Planning

A temporary event notice will not override any planning restrictions attached to particular premises. For example, a temporary event notice given to allow alcohol and music and dancing to take at premises until 1am will not override a planning restriction that prevents the premises from being open after 11pm.

Maximum numbers attending

The number of people attending the licensed event must not exceed 499. However, if the main activity of the event is not licensable, such as a school fete or local regatta, but the presence of a beer tent would require a licence, the permitted numbers refer only to the number of people using the beer tent at any one time rather than the number of people attending the event.

Health and safety and welfare/ fire safety

Consideration should be given to assessing any increased risks in relation to the planned event, particularly

Arrangements for safe evacuation including special provision for disabled people
Checking of escape routes, emergency lighting, fire equipment
Checking that curtains, hangings and decorations are flame retardant and arranged so as not to cause obstruction of exits, fire safety signs or fire fighting equipment
Access for emergency vehicles
Safety of temporary electrical installations
Stewarding arrangements
Provision of toilets

Offences relating to sale of alcohol

Include:

Allowing sale of alcohol to children
Purchase of alcohol by or on behalf of children
Consumption of alcohol by children
Sending a child to obtain alcohol
Unsupervised sales by children
Sale of alcohol to a person who is drunk

If you need any further information or clarification of any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact this office on 01784 444202

Please note this information is issued for guidance only and is not intended to provide authoritative legal advice

Contact The Licensing Team, Spelthorne Borough Council, Council Offices, Knowle Green, Staines, TW18 1XB Tel 01784 444202, fax 01784 446437, e-mail environmental.health.commercial@spelthorne.gov.uk.