Temporary Event Notice

Temporary Event Notices (TENs) are not a licence, but a system for self-authorisation of any or all of the licensable activities 

A Temporary Events Notice (TEN) is required if you intend to carry on licensable activity on unlicensed premises or wish to operate outside the terms of your existing premises licence. TENs relate to temporary events with less than 500 attendees. 

A Temporary Event Notice may be submitted to authorise licensable activities for a limited period of time. Licensable activities which may be authorised by a TEN are:

• the sale or supply of alcohol
• regulated entertainment 
• late night refreshment (between 11pm and 5am)

Please read the Temporary Event Notice form carefully for detailed information on giving Temporary Event Notices before completing the online form. 

Apply for a temporary event notice

You can Apply for Temporary Event Notice online using the GOV.UK website. You will be able to pay online, and Lancashire Police and Environmental Health will automatically be notified.

There is a £21 fee for a Temporary Event Notice, payable when the application is submitted. You will need a debit or credit card to make this payment.

If you fail to provide any of the information or fail to pay the fee, the notice will be rejected. No refunds will be provided for rejected notices.

If your Temporary Event Notice is for an event wholly or partly in the open air, please submit a scale plan clearly identifying the area to be used with your notice. The plan must clearly show the location and clearly show the area intended to be used.

Apply for Temporary Event Notice

You also need to notify the owner of the premises you are using that you are giving a Temporary Events Notice and obtain any necessary public liability insurance for your event. View more information and guidance on planning an event. 

Temporary Event Notice period

A minimum of 10 working days prior notice is required to be given. A late application can be made no later than 5 working days before the event.

Types of Temporary Event Notice

Standard Temporary Event Notice: must be received at least 10 clear working days before the event starts.

Late Temporary Event Notice: must be received no earlier than 9 clear working days and no later than 5 clear working days before the event starts.

The calculation of the required period of notice excludes Saturdays, Sundays, Christmas Day, Good Friday, Bank Holidays, the day of service of the notice and the day (or first day) of the event. This period of notice is specified in law and there is no discretion to accept a shorter period of notice in any circumstances. 

Limits on the use of a Temporary Event Notice

The following limits apply to Temporary Event Notices:

• no more than 499 people at any one time (including performers and staff etc.) may attend the event
• there can be no more than 20 such notices in respect of the same premises in a calendar year 
• the total period of the 20 notices in respect of the same premises cannot exceed 26 days in a calendar year
• no event can last for more than 7 days in total
• there must be a minimum period of 24 hours between any 2 Temporary Event Notices at the same premises
• a holder of a personal licence cannot apply for more than 50 standard temporary event notices or 10 late notices in a calendar year
• a person who does not hold a personal licence cannot give more than 5 Temporary Event Notices in a calendar year, of which no more than 2 can be late TENs
• the individual giving the Temporary Event Notice must be over 18

On receipt of a Temporary Event Notice, if the proposed event is not within the limits, a counter notice will be issued and the event will not be authorised.

It is possible to give a Temporary Event Notice for any premises, including those which already have premises licences or club premises certificates. The Temporary Event Notice will need to state the dates and times when licensable activities are to take place.

Temporary Event Notice objections

Only the Police and Environmental Health may object to a TEN, and only on grounds related to 1 or more of the licensing objectives:

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

They have 3 working days to object after the service of the TEN.

If there is an objection to a standard TEN, which cannot be resolved by agreed modification of the notice, a hearing by the council's Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee will be arranged. The Sub-Committee can decide to uphold or dismiss the objection and can impose conditions in certain circumstances.

Objection appeals

If, following a hearing, we decide to issue a counter notice in relation to a standard TEN, a premises user can appeal against the decision. Equally, if we decide not to issue a counter notice in relation to a standard TEN the Police or Environmental Health can appeal the decision. 

An objection to a late TEN by the police or Environmental Health requires us to issue a counter notice and the late TEN will be of no effect. There is no right to a hearing by the Licensing Sub-Committee or any appeal.

Data Protection

Please note that we may be required by law to disclose to the appropriate authorities, from time to time, further information relating to applications and licences for the purposes of law enforcement and the prevention of fraud.