Temporary event notices rise from 15 to 20 a year

Key Points

Temporary event notices rise from 15 to 20 per venue yearly
Total permitted event days increase from 21 to 26
Established events to get minimum five-year licences
New events carry a presumption of three-year licences
Live music venues also get a 15% business rates cut

Licensed venues in England and Wales will be allowed 20 temporary event notices a year, up from 15, under licensing reforms confirmed in the government’s Music Plan.

The government will legislate to raise the annual cap on temporary event notices (TENs), the light-touch process that lets venues extend operating hours or host licensable activities, including live music, for events below 500 capacity.

The total number of event days allowed per year will also rise, from 21 to 26. The changes were set out in the Music Plan published by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on Tuesday (14 July).

For gig-goers, the change means pubs, clubs and other small venues can put on more one-off gigs and late-running events each year without applying for a full licence variation, while unlicensed premises get more scope to host occasional live music.

The reforms also overhaul festival and event licensing.

Updated national guidance will set an intention for local authorities to grant established events minimum five-year licences, extending to ten-year or lifetime licences where appropriate, in recognition of their economic and cultural contribution.

New events will carry a presumption of minimum three-year licences, with one-year licences reserved for one-off or test events.

The government said it will work with local authorities and the music sector to develop the guidance, aiming to avoid blanket or unnecessary conditions when licences are reviewed or renewed.

Local authorities will be encouraged to grant requests to strip outdated conditions through the minor variations process, and to run lighter-touch, simplified reviews for events with a proven safety record.

The changes sit alongside a package of support for live music venues, which will receive a 15% cut to new business rates bills for the 2026/27 financial year, followed by a two-year real-terms freeze to 2028/29. Grassroots venues operate on average profit margins of 2.5%, according to the plan.

The government said the revised framework will also encourage event organisers to plan robustly, engage communities early and seek post-event feedback, so licensing decisions on issues such as noise are informed by evidence.