Serving alcohol at an event in England and Wales is regulated by the Licensing Act 2003. Whether you are hiring a mobile bar or running your own, you need to understand the legal requirements — Temporary Event Notices, personal licences, premises licences, insurance, and food hygiene. This guide explains what applies to your event and how The Sesh Bars handle licensing on your behalf.
The answer depends on whether alcohol is being sold. Under the Licensing Act 2003, you need authorisation to sell alcohol by retail or supply it in connection with a club. "Selling" includes charging for drinks, including alcohol in an entry fee, or selling tickets that cover drinks.
If alcohol is genuinely free — a house party where you provide drinks for your guests, or a garden party with a free bar — no licence is required in most circumstances. The moment money changes hands for alcohol, licensing applies.
| Scenario | Licence Needed? |
|---|---|
| Free drinks at a private party | No |
| Cash bar at a private venue (no premises licence) | Yes — TEN required |
| All-inclusive package (guests do not pay individually) | Yes — TEN or premises licence |
| Event at a licensed venue (pub, hotel, restaurant) | No — venue's licence covers it |
| Selling tickets that include drinks | Yes — TEN required |
| Charity event selling alcohol | Yes — TEN required |
| Dry hire (guests bring own drinks, no sale) | No |
This table covers England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate licensing systems. For dry hire events where no alcohol is sold, no TEN is needed regardless of venue type.
A Temporary Event Notice (TEN) is the most common route for serving alcohol at a one-off event at a venue without its own premises licence. It is a notification, not an application — meaning it cannot be refused unless the police or environmental health object. The process is straightforward.
£21 (fixed fee, payable to local authority)
Minimum 10 clear working days before the event (standard TEN). 28 days recommended.
5-9 working days before the event. Same £21 fee. Can be refused without appeal.
499 people at any one time (including staff)
168 hours (7 days) per TEN
A personal licence holder can give 50 TENs per year. A non-licence holder can give 5.
A single premises can have up to 15 TENs per year, covering a maximum of 21 days.
Anyone aged 18 or over. Typically the event organiser, venue owner, or mobile bar company.
Local authority licensing team. Forms available on council websites or via GOV.UK.
The TEN must be sent to the local council licensing team, the police licensing officer, and environmental health. Most councils accept online applications. If there are no objections within 3 working days (standard TEN) or 1 working day (late TEN), the TEN is automatically valid.
A personal licence authorises an individual to sell or supply alcohol, or to authorise others to do so. It is not the same as a premises licence — a personal licence attaches to a person, not a venue. Every premises that sells alcohol must have a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) who holds a personal licence.
For mobile bar hire, the bartenders or a supervisor on site hold personal licences. This means you do not need to obtain one yourself when you hire The Sesh Bars — our team's licensing covers the alcohol service at your event.
Complete a BIIAB Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders (1-day course, ~£100-150), pass a DBS criminal records check, apply to your local council.
Indefinite. Since the Deregulation Act 2015 removed the 10-year renewal requirement, personal licences do not expire.
Course: ~£100-150. DBS check: £18-40. Council application: ~£37. Total: approximately £155-230.
If you are hiring a professional mobile bar, you do not need a personal licence. The bar company's staff hold their own licences.
A premises licence authorises a specific venue to sell alcohol. Pubs, hotels, restaurants, and licensed event venues hold premises licences. If your event is at a venue with a premises licence, that licence typically covers the alcohol service — you do not need a TEN.
However, check the conditions of the venue's premises licence before booking. Some licences have restrictions on hours, outdoor areas, music, or maximum capacity. If you are holding an event at a venue without its own premises licence — a private garden, warehouse, marquee, or office — a TEN is the standard route.
A premises licence is not relevant for most people hiring a mobile bar for a one-off event. It is a permanent licence for a fixed venue, costs significantly more to obtain (£100-1,905 depending on rateable value), and involves a 28-day public consultation period. For one-off events, a TEN at £21 is almost always the correct option.
Insurance is not legally mandated for mobile bar hire (except employers' liability, which is required by law if you employ staff). However, any reputable mobile bar company will carry comprehensive insurance — and many venues require proof of insurance before allowing a mobile bar on their premises.
Covers injury or property damage to third parties. Most venues require minimum £5 million cover.
Required by law under the Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 if the company has employees.
Covers claims arising from products served — illness from drinks, allergic reactions, contamination.
Covers claims of negligence or inadequate service. Not legally required but a mark of a professional operation.
The Sesh Bars carry £10 million public liability cover and full employers', product, and professional indemnity insurance. We provide proof of insurance to any venue on request. Always ask for proof of insurance before booking a mobile bar — companies that cannot provide it should not be serving at your event.
Mobile bar companies that serve food items (garnishes, cocktail ingredients, snacks) must be registered with their local authority as a food business and comply with food hygiene regulations. This includes allergen information, safe food handling, temperature control, and staff training.
Even if a bar only serves drinks, the use of fresh ingredients — citrus fruits, eggs (for sours and flips), dairy (cream liqueurs), and syrups — brings the operation under food hygiene law. Staff should hold Level 2 Food Hygiene certificates at minimum.
When booking a mobile bar for a private event, check that the company is food-registered and can provide allergen information. This is particularly important for corporate events where duty-of-care obligations apply and for weddings where guests may have dietary restrictions.
When you book The Sesh Bars, we handle the licensing complexity so you do not have to. Our team are personally licensed, fully insured, food-hygiene trained, and experienced across all 32 London boroughs and Berkshire. We know the licensing quirks of every local authority in our coverage area.
The most important thing you can do is book early. If a TEN is needed, we need at least 10 working days (ideally 28 days) before your event date. The earlier you confirm, the more time we have to handle paperwork and ensure everything is legally compliant.
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