Cash Bar services at London Canal Museum

Sale of Alcohol

The museum never allows the sale of alcohol to take place illegally, therefore if money is to change hands for alcoholic drinks, the legal process must be followed.

A Temporary Event Notice has to be issued to the London Borough of Islington and the Metropolitan Police. It is a condition of hire of the museum that the bar will close at least 15 minutes before the end time of the event and that the museum is sent a copy of the notice and the acknowledgement. Customers must obtain our agreement before they either arrange for a Temporary Event Notice to be issued by anyone at all for an event at the museum. The issue of the Temporary Event Notice will normally be the only procedure necessary but it is possible for the police to object and for a counter-notice to be served on the person who issued the notice. A fee of £21 is payable to the local authority. The Temporary Event Notice has to reach the local authority at least 10 working days before the event. However the Council advises that at least four weeks notice should be given if possible. Please note that:

• We will only agree to a cash bar if the person responsible for it, who signs the temporary event notice, is not a host or a guest. This person must be acting in a professional capacity and cannot be someone who is at the event to celebrate or enjoy themselves.
• You need to obtain our agreement before organising a cash bar.
• The number of TENs per year is limited. It is possible that we might have reached our limit.

If the event is open to the public, for example a charity fund-raising event, other aspects of the event may be "regulated entertainment" such as for example music and dancing. The same Temporary Event Notice can cover both sale of alcohol and entertainment.