Contact:
  • Licensing Services
  • Address:

    9-10 Bath Street, Bath BA1 1SN

  • E-mail:
    licensing@bathnes.gov.uk
  • Telephone:
    01225 396719
  • Fax:
    01225 477596
  • Minicom:
     
  • Page Updated:
    20/12/2007
  • Author:
    Lorna McCardle
A to Z Index

Licensing Act 2003

Guidance Notes - Large Temporary Events

Before completing the application form, please read the “Guide to the Licensing Act 2003” enclosed with the application pack.  This gives you important information about how the Act works.

Printable version of these guidance notes (PDF - 106kb)

Licensing Objectives

You need to bear the four licensing objectives in mind when completing your application.  They are:

  • Prevention of crime and disorder;
  • Public safety;
  • Prevention of public nuisance;
  • The protection of children from harm.
Notice Required

You must submit a complete licence application at least two months before the event.  This is a legal requirement.  Applications submitted after this time cannot be processed and will automatically be rejected.

Incomplete Applications

If your application is incomplete it will be rejected.  The time limit for processing will not start until you have supplied a correctly completed application including all the relevant documents (such as plans) to all the responsible authorities and the fee.

Duration of Licence

You should specify the period you require the licence for on the application form.

Designated Premises Supervisor

If you are applying for consent to supply or sell alcohol, you must appoint a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS).  This person is ultimately responsible for everything that happens during the event, including any offences that may take place.  You are only permitted to nominate one DPS per licence.  The DPS does not have to be present throughout the entire event; however, as they are responsible for ensuring the event is compliant with the law, we suggest you appoint somebody who will have overall responsibility for what happens at the event.  The DPS must be a Personal Licence Holder.

You do not need to appoint a DPS if you are only applying for consent to provide entertainment, entertainment facilities or late night refreshment.

Part 2 – Applicant Details

The first part of this section concerns the type of applicant you are.  Tick the appropriate box.

Go to the part of the form relating to the section you have ticked – e.g. Part A for individual applicants, and complete that part.

Part 3 – Operating Schedule (See separate notes on Operating Schedules)

Start Date

The date of the event must not be less than two months from the date your application reaches the Council.

You must also complete the second box saying when you want the licence to cease.

Licensable Activities

You must state what licensable activities you would like to obtain consent for.  Tick the appropriate boxes.

Licensed Activities and Opening Times

You must state what licensable activities you intend to provide, and the times you would like to do this.  Times must be given in the 24 hour clock.

All times commence at 12 midnight where applicable.  There are two boxes for times, to account for when you remain closed during the day (or do not wish to provide licensable activities).

Seasonal Variations and Non Standard Timings

You can ignore these boxes.

Indoors or Outdoors

If the licensed activities are due to take place in a building or similar structures please tick “Indoors”.  If activities are to take place in the open air, or with a roof cover and no side wall covers, please tick “Outdoors”.  If you would like licensable activities to take place both inside and outside, you would need to tick both boxes.

Further Details

You should give further information about the event here, such as:

Plays – Title and brief description of play.

Film Exhibitions -.  You may describe the type of films you intend to show, e.g. art films, mixed films for all age ranges, and so on.

Indoor Sporting Events – describe the type of sports you intend to provide.

Boxing and Wrestling Entertainments – the category of fights you wish to provide, whether they will be professional or amateur and so on.

Performance of Live Music – how many musicians do you intend to have performing, what type of music will they play, and will the music be amplified or unamplified?

Playing of Recorded Music – what sort of recorded music?  Will it be a DJ or a sound system?  What is the power output of any sound system to be used?  Will you be providing karaoke?

Performance of Dance – what type of dancing?  Will there be a stage or will it be roaming dancers, such as striptease artistes?

Entertainment of a Similar Description – describe the type of entertainment, e.g. comedy shows, hypnotism performances etc.

Provision of Facilities for Making Music – describe the provision, e.g. a piano, guitars, etc. 

Provision of Facilities for Dancing – describe where the dancefloor will be, what size it is etc.

Provision of Facilities for Entertainment of a Similar Description -  describe what the facilities are and what they might be used for.

Late Night Refreshment – Say what you intend to do, e.g. selling food for takeaway purposes only, selling food for consumption on the premises, the type of food you sell etc.

Activities That May Give Rise to Concern in Respect of Children

This could include nudity or semi-nudity (such as exotic dancers), films for restricted age groups or the presence of gaming machines.

Hours Premises Are Open to the Public

This area is for you to say what time the event site will be open, both prior to and after providing licensable activities.

Description of the Premises

Your description should state:

  • Whether the premises are detached, terraced etc and what they adjoin;
  • If an outdoor space, describe the size and location of the site and the nature of the terrain;
  • Which parts of the premises/site will be used for licensable activities;
  • What entertainment facilities are provided, if applicable;
  • Brief descriptions of what other parts of the premises/site are used for.

Include any other information you feel may be relevant to the licensing objectives.

Steps You Intend to Take to Promote the Four Licensing Objectives

This is a very important part of the form.  You must use this area to demonstrate that you can run your event in accordance with the four licensing objectives and the Council’s Statement of Licensing Policy.

You need to satisfy the responsible authorities and any other interested parties (e.g. local residents), that you can run the event responsibly and in accordance with the licensing objectives.  If these people do not feel the steps you propose are adequate, they may object to the Licence being granted.

It is in everybody’s interests to reduce the likelihood of people objecting to your application.  You must think very carefully about how you are going to address the four licensing objectives. 

Some examples of things you may wish to consider are given below.

General – All Four Licensing Objectives
  • Providing registered door supervisors or stewards;
  • All stewards and security staff to wear coloured tabards or bibs;
  • Having two way radios for staff to use;
  • Producing a transport strategy for the event to enable people to leave the area;
  • Having an event Control Centre manned by competent staff who are in contact with stewards and other relevant staff etc;
  • Providing suitable signage for facilities on the site such as toilets, exits, First Aid, Lost Children etc;
  • Having an admission policy and stating what it is;
  • Agreeing a Statement of Intent for the event with the Metropolitan Police;
  • Having a Personal Licence Holder on site  at all times the licence is being used;
  • Staff training on licensing issues.
The Prevention of Crime and Disorder
  • Drugs policy;
  • Providing adequate lighting;
  • Age restrictions;
  • Search policy;
  • Amnesty bins;
  • Bottle bans.
Public Safety
  • Provision of emergency lighting;
  • Production of an event safety policy;
  • Production of event risk assessments;
  • Providing suitable certification for non-flammability of tent and marquee fabric;
  • Providing loading calculations for stages and temporary structures;
  • Not storing LPG near naked flame;
  • Only storing the minimum amount of fuel required for diesel fuelled generators on the site;
  • Not allowing vehicles to move round the site when the event has started;
  • Providing emergency rendezvous points for the emergency services;
  • Producing a Major Incident Plan for the event;
  • Ensuring all structures are built by a competent person and are suitable both in design and construction for the job they are intended to do;
  • Providing guarding to generators, other plant and equipment, and electrical and heat sources such as barbecues;
  • Burying or suspending electrical cables from a suitable height so not to cause a trip hazard;
  • Providing suitable barriers to areas such as the front of stage etc;
  • Providing suitable fire fighting equipment;
  • First Aid provision;
  • Seating arrangements;
  • Road closures;
  • Use of special effects;
  • Number of attendants/stewards.
The Prevention of Public Nuisance
  • Carrying out sound checks with the Environmental Health Officer and not exceeding levels he has specified;
  • Carrying out noise patrols of the local area;
  • Keeping the music to a reasonable level;
  • Litter clearance;
  • Provision of suitable toilet facilities;
  • Considerate loading/unloading arrangements;
  • Controlling noxious odours from cooking etc;
  • Not using external areas after a certain time;
  • Restricting hours that amplified music can take place;
  • Keeping doors and windows closed while the licence is being used where applicable;
  • Prevention of light pollution;
  • Notices asking patrons to leave quietly.
The Protection of Children From Harm
  • Restricting access to adult entertainment, e.g. lap dancing, age restricted films etc;
  • Provision of children’s areas;
  • CRB checks of staff involved in looking after young people;
  • Proof of age cards;
  • Prevention of access to gaming machines;
  • A limit on the hours during which children can be present;
  • Requirement to be accompanied by an adult;
  • Requirement for attendants to be present when children’s activities are taking place.

You are not expected to address issues already covered by existing legislation, e.g. “I will not serve to people who are obviously drunk” or “I will not serve alcohol to under-18’s”.

Whatever you put in this section will become a condition of your licence.  Therefore you should not volunteer to do anything that you are not able or prepared to do if the licence is granted.

Advertising Your Application

You must advertise your application by way of a notice displayed at the premises/site for twenty days.  The notice must be displayed in a position where persons passing in the street can easily read it.  A form for this purpose is included.  Council officers will check that you have displayed the notice and your application will not be accepted unless this is done.

You must also publish notice of your application in the local press within five days of making the application.  A form for this purpose is enclosed.  You must send a copy of the newspaper containing the advertisement to us as soon as it is published.

Documents to be Included

You must enclose the following:

  • The fee.  The Government have set the fees and there is no reduction available for community events;
  • A plan of the premises or site.  The plan must be drawn to a scale of 1 centimetre to 1 metre, unless we have previously confirmed in writing to you that an alternative scale is acceptable.  The plan must show:
    - The whole building/site, including non licensed areas;
    - Any external or internal walls which comprise the premises, or in which the premises are comprised;
    - All exits from the premises/site;
    - If different from the above, the location of the escape routes from the premises/site;
    - Areas where existing licensable activities take place;
    - In a case where the existing licensed activity relates to the supply of alcohol, the location(s) on the premises that are used for the consumption of alcohol;
    - Fixed structures (including furniture) or similar objects temporarily in a fixed location (but not furniture) that may impact on the ability of customers to use exits or escape routes without impediment;
    - In a case where premises include a stage or raised area, the location and height of each stage or area relative to the floor;
    - The location and type of any fire safety and other safety equipment including, if applicable, marine safety equipment;
    - The location of any kitchen on the premises.
    To assist the Fire Authority and the other responsible authorities the plan may include a legend through which the matters mentioned or referred to above are sufficiently illustrated by the use of symbols on the plan. The scale of 1:100 should be clearly marked on the plan.
  • The consent form from the proposed Designated Premises Supervisor.
Part 5 – Signatures

If the application is made by a limited company, partnership or unincorporated association, someone who has the capacity to bind the company or partnership should sign.  Your Agent may sign providing he or she has actual authority to do so.

Where there are two applicants, they both must sign the form.

Copy to Responsible Authorities

In order for your application to be submitted correctly you must send a copy of your application plus all the relevant documents (e.g. plans) to the following people:

Licensing Team                                           
9-10 Bath Street
Bath
BA1 1SN

Avon and Somerset Police
Liquor Licensing Bureau
New Bridewell
Bridewell Street,
Bristol
BS1 2QH

The Avon Fire and Rescue Service
Temple Back
Bristol
BS1 6EU

The Environmental Health Manager
9-10 Bath Street
Bath
BA1 1SN

Planning Services
Trimbridge House
Trim Street
Bath
BA1 2DP

Child Protection Agency
Head of Children and Family Services
Bath
BA1 2ZH

Trading Standards
9-10 Bath Street
Bath
BA1 1SN

If the event takes place in a School, College, University or Factory you must send a copy to:

Health and Safety Executive
The Pithay
4th Floor
Bristol
BS1 2ND

Those applicants wishing to use boats must also send a copy of the application to

MCACardiff Marine Office
Anchor Court
Keen Road
Cardiff
CF24 5JW

If your application is incomplete you may have to resubmit it to all these authorities.

What Happens to your Application?

The following persons should receive a copy of your application:

  • The Police;
  • The Council’s Health and Safety Officer, or the Health and Safety Executive where appropriate;
  • The Fire Service;
  • The Council’s Environmental Health Officer
  • The Council’s Planning Officer
  • Trading Standards
  • Area Child Protection Committee

Any of these people are entitled to make representations about your application, providing they are relevant to any of the four licensing objectives.  Local residents and businesses may also make representations relevant to any of the objectives.

What Happens if Relevant Representations are Made?

If representations are made, we will initially try to mediate between parties.  For example, the Police may object to the Designated Premises Supervisor you have nominated.  This could be resolved by removing that person from the application and replacing them with somebody deemed more suitable.

If mediation fails, the Council’s Licensing Sub Committee will determine your application.  The Committee is comprised of elected Members of the Council.

You will be invited to attend the meeting to give evidence, answer questions, and call any witnesses.  The Committee will listen to evidence from both sides before deciding whether to grant the variation.  They may grant it as requested, grant with conditions (provided these are relevant to the licensing objectives) or refuse your application.

Appeals

If you are dissatisfied with a decision made by the Council, you may appeal to the Magistrates Court for the petty sessions area in which the premises are situated, within 21 days of being notified of the Council’s decision.

This information has been made as comprehensive as possible.  However, in attempting to simplify the law, certain requirements have been omitted.  Full details of what you must do are in the legislation itself. 

Laws can and do change.  This information was accurate when produced, but may have changed since.  We must advise that only the Courts can give an authoritative opinion on statute law.