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When you need a temporary event notice

You need a temporary event notice if you're holding a one-off event or special occasion that involves alcohol, entertainment or late night refreshment.

A temporary event notice does not give you permission to use the land or premises on which the event is to take place. This must be obtained separately from the landlord. If you wish to hold an event in a council-managed park or open space, you should first get permission to hire a park or open space.

Restrictions

You can only get a temporary event notice if:

  • you're over 18
  • there will be no more than 499 people at the event at any one time
  • the premises has had no more than 15 temporary event notices in a calendar year
  • each event will be no more than 168 hours or seven days
  • there are more than 24 hours between one temporary event notice and another
  • the total cumulative number of days covered by all temporary event notices does not exceed 21 days.

You need to get a premises licence if your event doesn't meet these restrictions.

Unless you're a personal licence holder, you can also only get five temporary event notices in a year.

For more information, read the guidance for small temporary events or the guidance for large temporary events.

Get a temporary event notice

You must submit your application so it arrives at the Council at least ten working days before your event (excluding the day you send it and the first day of your event).

You need to pay a fee of £21 with your application.

You need to register and sign in to our licensing system to apply for a Temporary Event Notice. If you already have a login for our website, you will need to create a new account for our licensing system.

Apply for a temporary event notice online

  • If you send the form by post, you also need to send a copy of your application to all of the following:

    Metropolitan Police - Greenwich Licensing Unit
    The Woolwich Centre
    35 Wellington Street
    London
    SE18 6HQ
    Environmental Health (Pollution)
    The Woolwich Centre
    35 Wellington Street
    London
    SE18 6HQ
    Environmental Health (Commercial)
    The Woolwich Centre
    35 Wellington Street
    London
    SE18 6HQ

What happens next

If there are no objections, your temporary event notice is approved and the Council will return it to you. If any party does object, the Council will hold a public hearing in front of the Licencing Sub-Committee to decide if the event can go ahead or not.

Once you've got your temporary event notice

You must keep a copy of the notice at the event and produce it on request by an authorised council officer or police officer.

Apply by post

You can also download the temporary event notice form and send the completed form together with a cheque for the application fee (made payable to the Royal Borough of Greenwich) to:

Licensing department
The Woolwich Centre
35 Wellington Street
London
SE18 6HQ