Licensee hits out at TENs "nightmare

A frustrated licensee who wants to host more live music has branded the system for applying for temporary event notices (TENs) a "time-consuming nightmare".

Mark Daniels, licensee of the Tharp Arms, in Chippenham, Cambridgeshire, is one of hundreds of people backing The Publican's Listen Up! campaign to loosen up legislation around hosting live music.

He wants the government to do more to help smaller pubs host bands - and has questioned why small gigs are regarded as a licensable activity.

Daniels said it would cost £600 to change his licence to include entertainment, but this would have to be done through his landlord, Greene King.

Instead he has to apply for a TEN whenever he wants to host performers.

"We're not the type of venue that wants music that frequently, but having to apply for a TEN every time is a real nightmare - it's so time-consuming," he said.

The TEN system, which came in under the 2003 Licensing Act, means licensees have to answer five pages of questions and includes four-and-a-half pages of guidance before staging an event. Pubs are restricted to applying for 12 a year.

The form must be submitted to the police and council a minimum of 10 days before the event.

But Daniels argued the 10-day rule is "restrictive". "Occasionally I have bands come in that have had a gig cancelled elsewhere in the area, so want to play at my pub. But if it's after the deadline, there's nothing I can do.

"An exemption for small live music events would be perfect."

Listen Up! Is calling for a licence exemption for venues with a capacity of 200 or less to host live music, and a re-introduction of the two-in-a-bar rule, so a licence is not needed to host events with two or fewer performers.

For more information visit www.thepublican.com/listenup​