World Cup licensing hours

The government is consulting on whether to relax licensing hours nationally to mark England’s participation in the FIFA World Cup 2014.

The purpose of any national relaxation of licensing hours during the World Cup would be to enable all pubs and other on-trade premises to sell alcohol and late night refreshment to people watching England’s World Cup matches live.

Under the Licensing Act 2003, licensed premises can give notice that they intend to extend their hours on a limited basis using the Temporary Event Notice (TENs) system. This system gives the police and environmental health authorities an opportunity to object to a TEN on the basis of the prevention of crime, disorder and public nuisance; public safety; or the protection of children from harm.

This consultation seeks your views on whether or not the TENs system should be used to determine licensing hours locally during the World Cup or whether there should be a national relaxation of licensing hours for all England matches during the World Cup. This would apply to all England matches with a scheduled kick-off time of 8pm or later. It also asks for your opinion on the impact of any relaxation, the duration and geographical extent which any national relaxation of licensing hours for England’s matches in the World Cup should apply to.

Further background information can be found in the consultation document.

Temporary Event Notice (World Cup 2014) for use by premises in Wales

Government has legislated to create a bespoke temporary event notice form for use by premises in Wales (the Temporary Event Notice (World Cup 2014)). The form allows premises to extend their licensing hours to show England matches during the FIFA World Cup 2014. The temporary event notices covered in this form will be free of charge.

The Temporary Event Notice (World Cup 2014) is available from 31 May 2014. The form can be found in the schedule on page 4 of the statutory instrument.

This form is for use only during the FIFA World Cup 2014 to authorise the sale and supply of alcohol for consumption on the premises and the provision of late night refreshment during England matches. This form may be used to give up to ten temporary event notices corresponding to the matches (which kick-off at or after 8pm BST) in which England will or may play. If England are knocked out of the tournament, licensed premises may withdraw subsequent temporary event notices by giving at least 24 hours notice. The regulation and the form will also be published on www.legislation.gov.uk in due course.

Please read the notes contained within the form for information on how the form should be used.

How to respond

Please send us your comments by using our online form.

If you are not able to respond using the online system, you can email your response to: worldcup.consultation@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

Or write to:

Alcohol team
Drugs and Alcohol Unit
Home Office
4th Floor Fry Building
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF

The deadline for responses is 26 March 2014.