Check your premises licence – Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve fall on a Sunday this year

Just in case you missed it, both Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve fall on a Sunday this year.  

This means that, unless you have a special authorisation on your licence for Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve with extended hours, the hours permitted on your licence will be those for a Sunday, which traditionally can be less than other days of the week.

Check your premises licence and see whether you have any special permissions for Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve trading, and if so, check that those permissions apply to all the licensable activities you plan to offer on those nights – the sale of alcohol (on and/or off the premises), regulated entertainment (DJs or live music, for example) and late night refreshment (hot food and hot non-alcoholic drinks after 11pm).

Equally, many licences have permissions allowing licensable activities right through from the end of permitted hours on New Year’s Eve to the start of permitted hours on New Year’s Day, but do check that this doesn’t just cover alcohol if you also want entertainment.

You have time to apply for a temporary event notice (TEN) if your premises licence doesn’t permit what you need.

For Christmas Eve extensions you must submit your TEN by 8^th December (Standard TEN) and by 15^th December (Late TEN – remember the Police or Environmental Health can veto a Late TEN outright).

For New Year’s Eve the last dates for submitting your TENs are 13^th December (Standard TEN) and 20^th December (Late TEN).