A Temporary Event Notice must be given to the Licensing Authority using the statutory application form, preferably using the online facility.

• The application fee for a Temporary Event Notice is £21 (payable through the online form).

To assist us in accurately locating your event, particularly in open spaces without clear landmarks, please include a What3Words reference in your application. If you are applying for a Temporary Event Notice for a temporary structure such as a market stall or gazebo, please include the name of the business in your application.

Applying by post

If you wish to apply by post, please contact the Licensing Department for a paper copy of the application form. 

If the notice is submitted by post, it must be sent to the following address, accompanied by a fee of £21. All cheques must be made payable to Winchester City Council, or online payment can be made here under 'Miscellaneous Payments'.

Licensing Department
Winchester City Council
City Offices
Colebrook Street
Winchester
SO23 9LJ

One copy must be sent to the Environmental Health Department at:

Environmental Protection
Winchester City Council
City Offices
Colebrook Street
Winchester
SO23 9LJ

One copy must be sent to the Police at:

Alcohol and Entertainment Licensing Officer
Bishops Waltham Police Station
Hoe Road
Bishops Waltham
SO32 1DS

Please note, applications made online do not require a copy of the application to be sent to the Police and Environmental Health. This will be forwarded by the Licensing department once it is received.

To assist us in accurately locating your event, particularly in open spaces without clear landmarks, please include a What3Words reference in your application. 

It costs £21 to serve a Temporary Event Notice. The fee is non-refundable, even if the TEN is rejected, withdrawn or if the event does not go ahead. 

Please note: Your notice is not considered complete until the fee has been paid.

The application fee is paybable through the online submission form.

There are two types of Temporary Event Notices: standard and late:

• A standard Temporary Event Notice can be given no later than 10 working days before the event.
• A late Temporary Event Notice can be given no later than 5 working days before the event, excluding the day the notice is received and the first day of the event.

A 'working day' (under Section 193 of the Act) is defined as any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday, Christmas Day, Good Friday, or a day which is a bank holiday under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 in England and Wales.

The number of notices that can be given by a personal licence holder is limited to 50 standard Temporary Event Notices, or 10 late Temporary Event Notices. For any other person, it is limited to 5 standard Temporary Event Notices or 2 late Temporary Event Notices. Any notices received after that period will not be valid and any licensable activities carried on would be unlawful.

The number of notices that can be given by a personal licence holder is limited to 50 standard Temporary Event Notices, or 10 late Temporary Event Notices. For any other person, it is limited to 5 standard Temporary Event Notices or 2 late Temporary Event Notices. Any notices received after that period will not be valid and any licensable activities carried on would be unlawful.

• You need a TEN for each event you hold on the same premises.
• A single premises can have up to 15 TENs applied for in one year, as long as the total length of the events is not more than 21 days.
• If you are organising separate but consecutive events (requiring TENs), there must be at least a 24 hour gap between them.

Temporary event notices (TENs) can be given to permit any or all of the following:

• The sale of alcohol
• The supply of alcohol to members of a registered club
• Provision of late night refreshment - hot food or hot drink at any time after 23:00 or before 05:00.
• Entertainment which is defined as:
  1. a performance of a play
  2. an exhibition of a film
  3. an indoor sporting event
  4. a boxing or wrestling entertainment
  5. a performance of live music
  6. any playing of recorded music
  7. a performance of dance
  8. entertainment of a similar description to that falling within paragraphs (5), (6) or (7), where the entertainment takes place in the presence of an audience and is provided for the purpose, or for purposes which include the purpose, of entertaining that audience 

Incidental music (such as background music in a restaurant, or a music track at a fashion show or quiz night) is explicitly exempt from the Licensing Act 2003, and does not require a Licence.

If music is a primary feature of your event, you may still qualify for an automatic entertainment exemption (e.g., unamplified live music indoors between 08:00 and 23:00 for up to 500 people). Otherwise, you will need to submit a Temporary Event Notice.

The Alcohol Licensing and the Entertainment Licensing sections of the GOV.UK website provides further information on whether a licence is required.

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.

The Council cannot refuse a notice unless the Police or Environmental Health object to it. They must do this within 3 working days of receiving it. They can only object if they think your event could:

• lead to crime and disorder
• cause a public nuisance
• be a threat to public safety
• put children at risk of harm

If there’s an objection, Winchester City Council's Licensing committee will hold a meeting (called a ‘hearing’) no later than 24 hours before the event (unless all parties agree that a hearing is not needed). At the hearing, the committee will either approve, add conditions or reject the notice.

If an objection is received in respect of a late TEN, the Licensing authority must issue a counter notice which would prevent the event from going ahead. 

If you disagree with the Licensing committee’s decision, you can appeal to your local magistrates’ court. You must do this within 21 days, and at least 5 working days before the date of your event.

If no objections are received within the consultation period, you can proceed with the event as set out in your Temporary Event Notice. 

Winchester is proud to host a range of events every year. From small community street parties through to large scale festivals, such as Boomtown. We work with organisers, statutory agencies and advisory panels to ensure that the events in our district are well-organised, safe and monitored for the benefit of the many residents, businesses and visitors we serve.

We've prepared some information which we hope will help make your event run smoothly and will offer you advice, guidance and support to make your event the very best. View webpage here.

Events requiring the temporary closure of roads must apply using the Event road closure form. Please view our webpage for information on the application process.

Please apply as early as possible, we need at least 12 weeks to ensure we can process applications in time.

Applications made on behalf of a charity or not-for-profit organisation, please use the Street Party, Charity and Not-for-Profit road closure form. 

If you wish to place removable furniture on the highway (this includes any footpath or pedestrianised area), you will require permission from Winchester City Council.

Please view our webpage for information on how to apply.

A Pavement Licence would allow you to use the following furniture:

• counters or stalls for selling or serving food or drink
• tables, counters or shelves on which food or drink can be placed
• chairs, benches or other forms of seating
• umbrellas, barriers, heaters and other articles used in connection with the outdoor consumption of food or drink