Temporary Event Notice

You can obtain a form either:

by downloading one here - Temporary event notice

by telephoning 01327-322315

or by emailing licensing@southnorthants.gov.uk

and submitting it to the council (together with your payment) by hand or by post.

If you wish to hold an ad-hoc event in England or Wales, you must give a temporary event notice (TEN) to your local licensing authority and the local police at least ten working days before the event.  This means if the event is on a Saturday, the notice must be with the local authority and the police by the Friday two weeks before. Working days are classed as Monday to Friday, excluding Bank Holidays. The ten days does not include the day the TEN is received or the actual day of the event.

If the TEN is received with less than ten working days notice, it will be refused.

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 be 18 years or older to give a TEN and can give a maximum of five TENs per year. If you are a personal licence holder, you can give a maximum of 50 TENs per year.

Your event must involve no more than 499 people at any one time and last no more than 96 hours with a minimum of 24 hours between events. 

The notice must be in a specific format and must be made by someone over 18 years of age.

The notice should contain:

• if alcohol is to be supplied, a statement confirming that it is a condition of using the premises that the supplies are made under the premises user's authority
• a statement relating to certain matters
• any other required information

The matters referred to above are:

• details of the licensable activities
• the event period
• the times when during that period the activities will take place
• the maximum number of people proposed to be allowed on the premises
• any other required matters  

The TEN must be given in writing (including by electronic means) to the local authority at least ten working days (Note: working days do not include weekends or bank/public holidays) before the date of the event.  Payment (currently £21) by cheque or card must be made at the same time.

If the event is on a weekend, then the notice together with payment must be served on the council and a copy served on the police by Friday two weeks before at the very latest.

The local authority will acknowledge receipt of the notice by giving a notice to the premises user before the end of the first working day it was received or before the end of the second working day if the day the notice was received is not a working day.

Unless an application has been submitted electronically, the premises user must also give notice to the chief officer of the local police department no later than ten working days before the event period.

The chief police officer who receives a notice and believes that the event would undermine crime prevention objectives can serve an objection notice on the licensing authority and the premises user. This notice must be served within 48 hours of receipt of the temporary event notice.

The local licensing authority must hold a hearing if an objection notice is served. They may issue a counter notice if it considers it necessary for the promotion of crime prevention objective. A decision must be made at least 24 hours before the beginning of the event.

A police chief may modify the TEN with the consent of the premises user. In such a case an objection notice will be deemed to have been withdrawn.

Counter notices may be provided by the licensing authority if the number of permitted TENs has been exceeded. 

If a counter notice is given in relation to an objection notice the applicant may appeal against the decision. Appeals must be made to the local Magistrates' court within 21 days. An appeal may not be brought later than five working days from the day of the planned event. 

• National Outdoor Events Association (NDEA) 
• Society of Event Organisers (SEO) 
• Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA) 
• TSNN Online Directory