Festival Licensing

Our festival licensing consultants help you prepare the application, develop the operating schedule, work with the responsible authorities and represent you at the licensing hearing if objections are made. Our experts work with event organisers, landowners, venues and production teams to ensure your event runs as smoothly as possible.

If you are planning a festival and need advice about alcohol, entertainment or music licences, call us on 0207 222 2345 or contact our team.

What is a festival licence?

A festival licence is not a specific type of licence. The term is used to cover the licence or authorisation you will need for the activities that take place at a festival, such as selling alcohol, providing regulated entertainment or serving hot food and drinks between 11pm and 5am.

Depending on the size, duration and nature of your event, these activities may be authorised by a premises licence or a Temporary Event Notice (TEN). Larger festivals and music events often require a premises licence to cover the defined festival site.

Does my festival need a licence?

A festival may require permission under the Licensing Act 2003 if it includes:

• the sale or supply of alcohol
• live music or recorded music
• dance performances
• films or other regulated entertainment
• hot food or drinks supplied between 11pm and 5am

The permissions required will depend on the activities taking place, the proposed hours, the number of people attending and whether the site already has a suitable premises licence.

Smaller events can be covered using a Temporary Event Notice. However, this only applies where fewer than 500 people will be present at the event, including staff, performers and organisers, and the event lasts no longer than 168 hours.

A larger festival, or an event that falls outside the limits of a TEN, will usually require a premises licence.

Check your existing premises licence first. You may already have the permissions you need for your festival. Read the exact wording — the hours, activities, the plan and conditions — to check before you apply for another licence. If you send our team your existing licence, we will review it and tell you exactly what you need.

Music festival premises licences

A music festival licence will commonly take the form of a premises licence, particularly when the event involves 500 or more people. A premises licence is not limited to permanent buildings such as pubs, bars or nightclubs; it can also cover a field, park, temporary event site or other outdoor space.

A music festival premises licence can authorise a number of activities taking place in a designated area, including:

• the sale of alcohol
• live and recorded music
• dance performances
• films
• late night refreshment
• other forms of regulated entertainment

Your application should define the area and show a detailed plan with the boundaries and relevant features of your location. It should also detail the proposed activities, operating hours, capacity and the measures that will be used to promote the four licensing objectives, which are:

• the prevention of crime and disorder
• public safety
• the prevention of public nuisance
• the protection of children from harm

The operating schedule is essential when it comes to festival applications. Your application needs to demonstrate how the event will be managed and how you will control the impact on the surrounding area.

Alcohol licences for festivals

If alcohol is going to be on sale at your festival, you will need the appropriate authorisation. The alcohol licence for a festival will usually be a Temporary Event Notice or a premises licence that authorises alcohol sales, depending on the size, nature and duration of the event. For larger events, this means the premises licence will need to include the sale of alcohol. The application must name a Designated Premises Supervisor, or DPS, who holds a personal licence and has consented to take the role on.

Alcohol licensing arrangements should reflect the way the festival operates, which may include:

• the number and position of available bars
• permitted alcohol sales hours
• age verification procedures
• staff training
• refusals and incident records
• glass and container policies
• restrictions on alcohol entering or leaving the site
• measures to prevent excessive consumption
• arrangements for managing intoxicated or vulnerable customers

Our alcohol licensing consultants help festival organisers plan the correct licensing arrangements and ensure they are clearly and accurately explained within the application.

How our festival licence application process works

1. Tell us about the festival

Provide us with the event dates and times, full location, expected capacity, proposed licensable activities and details of any alcohol sales, entertainment or late-night refreshment. Our team will ask questions about the organiser, landowner, proposed Designated Premises Supervisor and any existing licence covering the site, so we can understand the full scope of the event.

2. We identify the right licensing route

We assess whether your festival can operate under an existing premises licence, a Temporary Event Notice, a variation, or whether you will need a new premises licence. The event’s size, duration, proposed activities and hours will be considered alongside the boundaries and conditions of any existing permissions. We will then explain which route is most appropriate for your event and what needs to be prepared.

3. We review the site and festival plans

We examine the festival site, its surroundings and the practical arrangements for running the event. This can include the location of stages, bars, entrances, exits and nearby homes, along with your proposed arrangements for security, crowd management, noise, transport, welfare and emergency response. This enables us to identify any potential licensing concerns before the application is submitted.

4. We prepare the application

We will complete the festival licence application, prepare the operating schedule and review the application plan. We ensure the proposed licensed area, activities, operating hours, capacity and measures for promoting the four licensing objectives are accurately explained. If alcohol will be on sale, the application will also identify the proposed Designated Premises Supervisor.

5. The application is submitted and advertised

We submit the application to the correct licensing authority and responsible authorities where required. The statutory notice must be displayed at or near the festival site and the application must be advertised in the local newspaper.

The application then enters a 28-day consultation period, during which the responsible authorities, residents, nearby businesses and other people can make relevant representations relating to the four licensing objectives.

6. We deal with questions or representations

If any concerns are raised, we communicate with relevant parties, provide supporting information and look for an appropriate resolution. This may involve clarifying the plans, amending the operating schedule or agreeing proportionate licence conditions.

7. We represent you at the licensing hearing

If relevant representations remain unresolved, the application will be considered by the council’s licensing sub-committee. We prepare your case and supporting documents, brief you and your team, and represent the application at the hearing.

8. You operate under the festival licence

Once the licence has been granted, your festival must operate within the approved licensed area, activities, hours, capacity and conditions.

When should you begin the licensing process?

Festival licensing should be considered at the beginning of the planning process, not just before the tickets go on sale.

A statutory consultation period for a premises licence is 28 days, but preparing the site plan, operating schedule and supporting documents can take longer and should be considered when planning an event. Discussions with relevant authorities can also result in changes to proposed layouts, hours, capacity or management arrangements.

Starting the application early provides time to resolve concerns and reduces the risk of problems arising or affecting the event programme.

If the proposed festival date is already approaching, contact us as soon as possible so we can help you assess your available options.

What to send us

When contacting us about a festival licence, we usually ask you to provide the following:

• the name and location of the event
• the proposed dates and operating hours
• the expected capacity
• details of the entertainment and other activities
• whether alcohol will be sold
• information about the organiser, venue and landowner
• a site plan if one is available
• details of existing premises licences or Temporary Event Notices

Do not worry if you do not have all of this information. We can begin by discussing the festival and identifying exactly what will be needed. Discuss your festival licence with our experts.

Who you are working with

Our licensing consultants and specialists have backgrounds in licensing law, policing, environmental health, acoustics and licensed operations. This allows us to consider the festival application from several perspectives, including what the organiser needs, what the authorities are likely to require and what the licensing sub-committee will need to see if the application proceeds to a hearing.

Important information about our status

Complete Licensing Limited is an independent licensing consultancy. We are not a law firm and are not authorised or regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority or any other approved legal services regulator. We provide licensing consultancy and representation at local authority licensing hearings; we do not undertake reserved legal activities or represent clients in court.

If you require legal services, court representation or alcohol licensing legal advice from an authorised solicitor or barrister, we can refer you to an appropriate professional.

Festival licensing questions and answers

Do I need a premises licence for a music festival?

Whether or not you need a premises licence will depend on the activities, audience size, hours and existing site permissions. A festival involving the sale of alcohol, regulated entertainment or late night refreshment may require a premises licence or Temporary Event Notice. Festivals involving 500 or more people cannot be authorised using a TEN, so a premises licence or another appropriate licensing route will need to be considered.

Can a field or outdoor space have a premises licence?

Yes. A premises licence can cover an outdoor space such as a field, park or temporary site. The licensed area must be clearly outlined on the application plan.

Can I use a Temporary Event Notice for a festival?

A TEN may be suitable where fewer than 500 people will be present at any one time, including staff and performers, and the event lasts no longer than 168 hours. Other statutory limits apply, so the event and premises history should be checked before relying on a TEN.

Do I need an alcohol licence for a festival?

Yes, if alcohol is being sold, you will need appropriate authorisation. The size and nature of the festival will determine whether this could be covered by a Temporary Event Notice or a premises licence.

How long does a festival licence application take?

A new premises licence application includes a statutory 28-day consultation period, but the overall process can take longer if the preparation and pre-application discussions are considered. If relevant representations are made, a licensing hearing may also be required, which can prolong the process. Beginning the process as early as possible prevents any delays having an impact on the event itself.

Does a premises licence cover every permission needed for a festival?

No. A premises licence authorises specified licensable activities, but a festival may require other permissions and arrangements related to planning, land use, highways, food safety, health and safety, fire safety or road closures. The requirements will depend on the site and nature of the event.