Alcohol and the Law

The law states that it is illegal to sell or supply alcohol without a licence. Although the hall has its own alcohol licence, it cannot be used unless an authorised Hall representative is present, so our licence will not cover private functions, or public functions where the Hall Management Committee is not involved. If you intend to have alcohol at your function you need to tell us and you may need to obtain a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) from Test Valley Borough Council.

Is a TEN always needed?

No. There is a distinction between events where alcohol is being sold, or supplied as part of a purchased ticket to an event, and events where alcohol is brought in by individuals for their own consumption. The latter case is generally known as Bring Your Own (BYO) and is similar to an unlicenced restaurant that allows customers to provide their own alcohol.

What if the host is providing alcohol free of charge?

This will still count as Bring Your Own provided there is no payment whatsoever for the alcohol, either directly or in the form of an entry fee or ticket. Similarly, guests can give alcoholic drinks to each other provided there is no payment.

What do I need to do for a BYO event?

• Select the “Yes  – Free Bar or guests bring their own” option on the ‘Will alcohol be available at your event’ field on the HallMaster booking form
• No further action is needed

What do I need to do if I am selling alcohol?

In this case you will need to do the following:

• Select the “Yes – Payment will be taken for alcohol” option on the ‘Will alcohol be available at your event’ field on the HallMaster booking form
• Obtain a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) from Test Valley Borough Council if your bar provider does not already have a valid alcohol licence
• Provide the Hall Management with proof that a valid licence is in place before the event.

If this is not followed then unfortunately we will not be able to allow your event to take place, it is essential that we operate within the law.

If you are using a Hired Bar they may already have a licence or will be able to handle the provision of a TEN for you. Simply tell them that the application is to be made to Test Valley Borough Council and that the Hall Management require a copy of the valid licence their records. Copies need to be sent to the Hall Secretary:  Secretary@lockerleyvillagehall.org.uk.

If you are planning to sell alcohol yourself, or include it as part of a paid event then you will need to apply for a TEN yourself. You should allow a minimum of 10 working days for the licence to be issued. To apply for a TEN contact Test Valley Borough Council. You can do this via the Test Valley Website.   Once approved you will need to send a copy to the Hall Secretary:  Secretary@lockerleyvillagehall.org.uk  before your event takes place.

We may double check with you whether there will be alcohol at your event

If you leave the ‘Will alcohol be available at your event’ field on the HallMaster booking form blank then we may ask you to confirm whether or not you intend to provide alcohol. This will be based on the event details. If you are planning a party or special event you are advised to answer this question rather than leave it blank.