Temporary Event Notice

Temporary Event Notices (TENs) may be submitted to permit the following licensable activities on a temporary basis, whether they are within a premise or an open space:

• regulated entertainment: plays, films, recorded music, indoor sporting events, live music, boxing or wrestling entertainment, and performance of dance
• late night refreshment: provision of hot food and/or hot drinks between 11pm and 5am
• sale by retail of alcohol to the public
• supply of alcohol by or on behalf of a club to a member, or to the order of a member

Apply online for a Temporary Event Notice

A copy of your application will be sent to the Chief of Police at Cambridgeshire Constabulary for you.

Types of TENs

Standard TENs

These are notices which are served at least 10 clear working days before the event (this doesn’t include the day that the notice is served or the day of the event)

Late TENs

These notices are to be used in exceptional circumstances. It allows organisers to give between 5 and 9 clear working days' notice (this doesn’t include the day that the notice is served or the day of the event).

For example, if you have an event on Saturday 14 October, the latest a late TEN can be submitted is Friday 7 October as this would give 5 clear working days to process the TEN. If there is a bank holiday within those 5 working days, then the TEN application needs to be submitted earlier.

Guidance and rules

• premises users must be over the age of 18
• if you do not hold a personal licence, you can apply for up to 5 standard TENs per calendar year (2 of these may be late TENs)
• if you are a personal licence holder, you can apply for up to 50 TENs (10 of these may be late TENs)
• TENs can only be for an event that has up to 499 people at any one time and which lasts no more than 168 hours
• there must also be at least 24 hours between notice periods

There are also rules about the number of TENs allowed per premise:

• you can have up to 15 events per ‘place’ within a calendar year
• the total aggregate days you can have is 21 days, or part days, of temporary events per place

Objections to a temporary event taking place

You are advised that by serving a late TEN you run the risk that your event may not be able to take place.

The TEN gives the Police and Environmental Health a chance to see whether they should object to an event taking place. Any objections are based on the following:

• The Prevention of Crime and Disorder
• Public Safety
• The Prevention of Public Nuisance
• The Protection of Children from Harm

Where a standard TEN was given, the Licensing Authority must consider the objection at a hearing. At the hearing, the Police, Environmental Health and the premises user may make representations to the Licensing Authority. After the hearing, the Licensing Authority may impose conditions which already apply to an existing premises licence or club premises certificate at the venue.

Fines and penalties

You could be prosecuted and fined if you make any false statements in your application, or face prosecution if you breach the terms of the notice.

If you don’t have a TEN and carry out an activity that you should have a licence for (or allow your premises to be used for one), you can be fined, sent to prison for up to 6 months, or both.