Guidance for Temporary Events

This guidance should not be considered authoritative.

For further information regarding your application you should refer to the Licensing Act 2003, the Section 182 guidance issued by the Secretary of State and Mole Valley District Council’s Licensing Policy.

A temporary event is where a person wishes to hold an event that is specified as a Licensable Activity.

If the location to the event does not hold a current premises licence or the licence does not cover the activity to be held, you will need to give notice to the council of the details of the event.

You must submit the application to the council, Chief Officer of Police and the environmental health officer for the area at least 10 working days* before the event is due to take place, unless it is a late notice.

*We recommend at least one month for particularly large events.

Police address:

Police Licensing Officer, Mole Valley PO Box 101 Guildford, Surrey, GU1 9PE

Environmental Health Officer address:

Environmental Health Team Mole Valley District Council Pippbrook Dorking Surrey RH4 1SJ

To give notice the following conditions must be met

  • the person giving the notice must be over 18
  • the maximum period of a temporary event is 168 hours (seven days)
  • there must be at least 24 hours between events
  • the maximum number of persons attending is up to 499
  • the maximum number of events a person may give notice of is 50 for personal licence holders (10 late notices), and five for non personal licence holders (two late notices), per year, and
  • single premises may only hold 15 events per year
  • maximum of 21 days per year
  • late Temporary Event Notices (i.e. those submitted less than 10 working days but at least five days before the beginning of the event) will be accepted unless police or environmental health officers object. This will be limited to two for a non-personal licence holder and 10 for personal licence holders

For example, if you are the personal licence holder of a public house, and you run a bar for other non-licensed premises for special events, e.g. a beer tent at a festival, you may give notice of 50 events per year. However you can only give notice of 12 events per year for your pub. You can give up to 10 late notices per year and this will be taken up within your 50 notices per year allowance.

If there is an objection by the police or the environmental health officers, the council is required to hold a hearing on the notice by a licensing sub committee. They will determine whether your application is acceptable, or if necessary amend or impose conditions on your activities. You have the right to appeal against any decision they make to the Magistrates Court.

The council will serve a counter notice upon you if there is an objection or any other conditions specified in the Act are not met or exceeded.

The council must acknowledge receipt of the notice and may notify other statutory consultees about the notice e.g. The fire service for their information. We therefore recommend that a full risk assessment of the event is in place prior to the notification to the council.

The notice to the council must include the following information:

  • the proposed licensable activities,
  • the total period of the event,
  • the specific times within the event where licensable activities will take place,
  • the maximum number of persons attending at the same time,
  • where on the premises the licensable activities will take place
  • any other matter that is relevant to the event

Applying for a TEN

The fee for a temporary event notice is £21.

You will need a debit or credit card to pay the fee online.

If you are unable to apply online, cheques can be made payable to Mole Valley District Council and must be submitted with the notification to the authority.

Send two copies of the application and the fee of £21 to:

Environmental Health Licensing Team, Mole Valley District Council, Pippbrook, Dorking, Surrey, RH4 1SJ
S1R1C1