Event Licences
Music festivals, food fairs, sporting occasions, and outdoor gatherings bring people together, but running them without the right licences can put you at risk of enforcement action and even criminal charges.
Legal advice on Event Licences
You need to be clear on what type of approval applies, how long the process will take, and what authorities will expect from you. Get advice on submissions, variations, and negotiations with local authorities, the police, and other regulators. Whether you require a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) for a small gathering or a premises licence for a large-scale festival, getting early specialist guidance helps you avoid costly mistakes and delays.
We can support with:
- TENs for small functions under 500 people
- Premises licences for larger occasions or longer durations
- Variations and transfers of existing approvals
- Requirements for alcohol sales, music, and films
- Guidance on licensing rules and exemptions for sporting events
- Negotiating with local authorities, police, and other stakeholders.
With practical, multidisciplinary support from long-term partners, you can submit documents correctly, resolve objections quickly, and run your events with confidence.
Speak to a Legal Partner
Our team support you to navigate complexity, seize opportunity and move forward with legal clarity.
Contact our Specialists
Get strategic advice from a team that knows how to protect and grow your business. Please complete our enquiry form and one of our experts will contact you by the next working day.
Alternatively, you can call us now.
Our opening hours are Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm (Excluding Public Holidays).
0370 1500 100
Making an enquiry
We have several ways you can contact us, either by completing our online contact form, by phone, or using our live chat. If you start your journey online, here are the first steps to working together.
Complete our online formWe need a few details to understand your situation and the kind of support you need.
We’ll contact you by phoneOn the call our experts will ask you a few more questions to make sure we connect you with the right legal advice from our team.
We arrange a full appointmentYour next step is an in-depth appointment with a specialist solicitor to discuss how we could advise you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Event licences can be confusing, especially with different rules for music, alcohol, sport, and film. Here are answers to some of the questions organisers ask most often:The type of licence you need depends on the size of the event, the frequency and the duration:
For small events of less than 500 people which won’t last more than 168 hours (seven days), it is usually possible to go ahead with a temporary event Notice (TEN).
You’ll need a premises licence if your event will have more than 500 people at any time – including staff running the event – and will last longer than 168 hours (seven days). While the consultation period for a Premises Licence is only four weeks, often with large scale events there will be the culmination of protracted discussions and negotiations with the licensing authority, police and other relevant authorities, meaning it is important to leave plenty of time to obtain the licence.
If the premises already has a premises licence, you can see if the licence holder will let you use their licence for your event. If you’ll be using the premises on a more permanent basis, you can see if it’s appropriate to transfer the premises licence to you. Our team of lawyers can provide full advice and support to you.
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