Overview
General information
The Licensing Act 2003 (“the Act”) introduces a light touch system for ad hoc, permitted temporary activities. A temporary event notice (TEN) is given by an individual (a premises user) and authorises the premises user to conduct one or more licensable activities at premises for no more than 168 hours (7 days). TENs can be used to authorise relatively small-scale ad hoc events held in or on any premises involving less than 500 people at any one time, subject to certain restrictions.
Recent changes to the system of giving TENs have been created by virtue of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 which came into effect on 25 April 2012.
If you wish to hold an ad-hoc event in England or Wales, you must give either a standard temporary event notice (TEN) to your local licensing authority no later than ten working days before the event or there is limited provision to give a late TEN no later than 5 working days but no earlier than 9 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 and environmental health on the same day that the notification is given to the licensing authority.
You must be 18 years or older to give a TEN and can give a maximum of 5 standard TENs or 2 late TENs per calendar year. If you are a personal licence holder, you can give a maximum of 50 standard TENs or 10 late TENs per year.
Your event must involve no more than 499 people at any one time and last no more than 168 hours (7 days) with a minimum of 24 hours between events.
A maximum of 20 TENs may be given in respect of any particular premises (but this is subject to a maximum aggregate duration of 26 days).
Please note that the fee for submitting a Temporary Event Notice is non-refundable if it is submitted late or rejected for administrative reasons.
Contact us
- Email licensing@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
- Call 023 9283 4607
- Write to:
Portsmouth City Council Licensing
Civic Offices
Guildhall Square
Portsmouth
PO1 2AL