Temporary Event Notices

Applicants are strongly urged to complete online applications as the default position. Post is not being opened as frequently, therefore applications posted to us may not be received or considered promptly. Should you be making a representation to an application please email this to us. The licensing team can be contacted at licensing@spelthorne.gov.uk or 01784 444213 option 3.

If you want to sell alcohol, provide entertainment or sell hot food or drinks after 11pm on unlicensed premises, you need a temporary event notice.

Temporary Event Notice online form

Licensing activities

You'll need to apply for a Temporary Event Notice (TENs) if you're holding an event with licensable activities.  Licensing activities:

• 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

If you have traders at your event selling articles (e.g. food, drink, selling goods etc) you will also need to apply for a one off street traders licence for that event: www.spelthorne.gov.uk/business-services/licensing-permits-and-regulations/street-trading-consents

Before you apply

• you must be 18 years of age or older to apply for a TEN
• there must be no more than 499 people at your event at any one time (including staff)
• your event must last less than 168 hours (7 days)
• you need a TEN for each separate event that you hold, even if it's on the same premises
• there must be at least 24 hours between separate TENs from the same applicant for the same premises
• there is a £21 fee to pay for each TEN

Further information on temporary event notices can be found here: www.gov.uk/temporary-events-notice

The Alcohol Licensing (Coronavirus) (Regulatory Easements) (Amendment) Regulations 2022  (The Regulations) extend the provisions in the Business and Planning Act 2020 to allow sales of alcohol for consumption off the premises to licensed premises that did not have that permission to the 30 September 2023. If your premises has previously benefitted from this relaxation over the pandemic, there is nothing new that needs to be done to continue to benefit, beside ensuring the correct notice is still displayed in a prominent position outlining your reliance on this relaxation.  Further information can be found here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-temporary-alcohol-licensing-provisions-in-the-business-and-planning-bill/alcohol-licensing-guidance-on-new-temporary-off-sales-permissions

There are two types of TEN - a 'standard TEN' and a 'late TEN'

Standard TEN - this is where your notice has been received at least ten clear working days before the date of the event.

Late TEN - this is where your notice is received between five and nine clear working days before your event. You cannot apply for a late TEN less than five clear working days before your event is due to take place. 

Please note that clear working days do not include the day the notice is served or the day of the event itself. This is defined in the legislation and no discretion can be applied.

Number of TENs you can apply for

• if you don't hold a personal licence you can get up to five TENs per year, two of these can be late TENs
• if you already hold a personal licence you can get up to 50 TENs per year, 10 of these can be late TENs
• the premises can have up to 20 TENs per year, as long as the total length of the events is not more than 26 days

Update for 2022-2023

There have been some changes to legislation that affect a TEN notice from 2022-2023. 

• the number of TENs allowed at a premises has increased from 15 to 20
• the time for TENs allowed at a premises has been increased from 21 to 26 days

It's a good idea to get your application in early, so there will be plenty of time to sort out any problems that might come up.

You can apply online  and pay the £21 fee by credit or debit card.

When you apply online copies of your notice will be sent to Surrey Police and the Environmental Health team for you.

Does tacit consent apply?

No. This means you cannot hold a temporary event until you receive the acknowledgement from us.

Objections

A TEN cannot be refused unless the Police or the council's Environmental Health Team objects to it. They must do this within three working days of it being received. They can only object if they think your event could adversely affect any of the licensing objectives which are:

• prevention crime and disorder
• prevention of public nuisance
• public safety
• protection of children from harm

If there is an objection and the matter cannot be resolved informally, the council's Licensing Committee will hold a meeting (known as a hearing) no later than 24 hours before the event. Following the hearing, a decision will be made whether to allow the TEN to go ahead, to allow it subject to conditions, or to issue a counter notice preventing licensable activities from taking place.

If the Police or the council's Environmental Health Team object to a Late TEN, then the notice won't be valid and you won't be able to hold your event.

Withdrawals

A TEN may be withdrawn by the premises' user by giving the licensing authority (in this case the council) a notice to that effect no later than 24 hours before the beginning of the event specified in the TEN.

Displaying your notice

You must keep your TEN in a safe place where the event is held.

You must also display a copy of the notice where it can be easily seen