Major Events
If a promoter, business or organisation wishes to hold a major event, such as a music festival or agricultural show, they may need to apply for a Premises Licence.
A Premises Licence regulates the sale of alcohol, the provision of ‘regulated entertainment’ (such as live or recorded music, theatre, cinema) and the provision of ‘late night refreshments’ (hot food or drinks served between 11pm and 5am) and would be required if the event was expected to attract 500 or more people.
We encourage organisers to contact us at an early stage so that we can discuss how they are going to manage the event. We need to be sure that any major event is well planned in order to keep people safe and minimise disruption to local residents and businesses before, during and after the event. Organisers also need to contact Planning Services to check if any restrictions apply to the site or if planning permission is required.
The Application
The event organiser needs to tell us exactly what activities are planned and the times they will take place. Find out more about the types of activities covered by a Premises Licence.
We will need a detailed plan of the site which includes the location of key health and safety measures such as fire extinguishers, toilet facilities and entry/exit points.
Organisers are encouraged to provide a well developed event management plan, and must gives full details of how they will:
- Prevent crime and disorder
- Ensure Public safety
- Prevent public nuisance
- Protect children from harm
Formal Consultation
As part of the application the organiser will need to send copies of their application to other agencies:
Police Authority, Fire Authority, Planning Service, Environmental Health Service, Trading Standards, Child Protection Authority, and in some circumstances the Health and Safety Executive and the Environment Agency.
The agencies have 28 days to get in touch with the event organiser and discuss conditions that should be applied to the licence. The agencies will let us know if any conditions have been agreed and which (if any) are still unresolved. These comments are know as ‘representations’ and will be taken into account when the Licensing Sub Committee meets to consider the application.
Consulting the Public
The organiser must place adverts in the newspapers that are circulated widely in the local area of the event, such as the Derbyshire Times or the Sheffield Star. They must also place signs along the highway along the boundary of the site, and/or fix them to the outside of a building if the event is being held indoors. This is so that local residents and businesses are made aware of the application and are given the opportunity to comment.
Local people must send their own comments, or 'representations', either in support of or against the application, within 28 days. These representations will be taken into account in deciding the outcome of the application. Anyone that makes a representation will be kept fully informed of whether the licence is granted or refused. Representations can be made by using our Online Form or in writing to the Licensing Team (a form is available to print out below).
Granting or Refusing the Licence
If representations have been received we will arrange a meeting to decide the outcome of the license application within 20 working days of the end of the consultation period. Anyone that has made a representation will be invited along to the meeting, and members of the public can also attend as observers. The Licensing Sub Committee will decide whether or not the licence should be granted or refused at this meeting and may add special conditions; anyone that has made a representation will be notified in writing of the outcome. If no representations have been received the licence will automatically be granted.
Appeals
If we refuse the licence, the organiser can appeal within 28 days to the Magistrate’s Court; anyone that has made a representation may be called to present their case. Likewise, if the licence is granted, anyone that made representations can make an appeal to the Magistrate’s Court within 28 days.
How to Apply
If you are planning a major event, please contact us to talk it over before making an application. You can get an idea of how much the application will cost on our Licence Fees page, remember to take into account the charges for Exceptionally Large Events.
Any Questions?
If you have any queries about the process of applying for, or commenting on a Premises Licence application for a major event, please contact us (details below). Remember you can use our Online Form to send us your comments electronically.
Downloads
Guidance on how to go about making representations on a Premises Licence or Club Premises Certificate application. (50.1 KB)
Form to print out to make representations on a Premises Licence or Club Premises Certificate application. (60.5 KB)
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