Do You Need Permission for a Marquee?

"Do we need permission for this?" comes up on nearly every enquiry, usually just after someone's worked out the marquee will fit in the garden. The good news is that for a normal wedding, party or one-off event, the answer is usually no — or at least, nothing complicated. But there are a few situations where you do need to sort something out, and it's much easier to know about them in March than the week before.

Here's how it works for events in Northamptonshire and the surrounding areas, in plain English. We're marquee people, not solicitors, so if your event is unusual we'll always say "check with the council" — but this covers what we get asked most.

Planning Permission: Usually Not Needed

A marquee put up for an event and taken down again a few days later doesn't normally need planning permission. The planning rules in England allow temporary structures and temporary use of land for up to 28 days a year without a planning application, and a weekend wedding or birthday party is nowhere near that.

Where it can start to matter:

• The marquee stays up for weeks or months. If you want a marquee as long-term cover — overflow stock, equipment, a seasonal workspace — it's worth a quick word with the council's planning team before it goes up. Our storage marquee page covers longer hires in more detail.
• The same land gets used again and again. A one-off party in a field is one thing. Running regular paid events on the same site through the summer is another, and can need planning permission for a change of use.
• Listed buildings and conservation areas. If the marquee's going up in the grounds of a listed building or in a conservation area, check before you book — the rules are tighter there.

Serving or Selling Alcohol

This is the one that catches people out. The key question is whether anyone is paying for drinks.

• Free drinks at a private party — you're supplying drinks to your own guests at no charge. That doesn't normally need a licence.
• A cash bar, or drinks included in a ticket price — that counts as selling alcohol, so you'll need a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) from your council. Charging entry and "giving away" the drinks can still count as a sale.

A TEN is straightforward: it costs £21, it covers events with fewer than 500 people at any one time (staff included) and up to 7 days, and you apply to the council where the event is being held. You need to get it in at least 10 clear working days before the event. Late notices are possible but limited, so don't leave it to the last minute.

The easiest route is often to book a mobile bar company that already holds its own licence and handles all of this for you. Ask them when you book.

Music and Entertainment

For a private party where nobody's buying a ticket — a wedding, a birthday, a family do — music and a DJ aren't usually a licensing issue. If it's a public event or you're charging people to get in, check with the council's licensing team, and the TEN above may cover it.

What does matter at every event is the neighbours. A friendly note through a few doors a week or two before goes a long way, especially if the music's going on late. Marquee walls keep the rain out, but they don't do much for sound.

The Land Itself

If it's not your land — a farmer's field, a club ground, a village green — you'll need the owner's permission in writing before anything's booked. A few other things we'll ask about when we come out to look:

• Access. We need to get a van and equipment close to where the marquee is going. Narrow gates, soft verges and steep slopes are all fine to work around if we know about them in advance.
• What's under the ground. Marquees are pegged into the ground, so we need to know about any buried cables, drains, water pipes or septic tanks where it's going up. If you're not sure, ask whoever owns or manages the land.
• The ground itself. Much of Northamptonshire is heavy clay that holds water after rain. Our garden or field guide goes through choosing the best spot.

Bigger Public Events and Festivals

Village fetes, fun days, shows and festivals open to the public come with more responsibility for whoever's organising. Councils may ask for an event plan, and you'll want your own public liability insurance in place. We're happy to supply details of the marquee and how it's installed for your paperwork. Have a look at our festival and outdoor event marquee page, or get in touch early so there's time to pull it all together.

What We Take Care Of

The marquee side is our job. Our own team delivers it, puts it up, secures it properly for the site and the forecast, and takes it down again afterwards — we're fully insured, and it's the same family turning up on the day that you spoke to when you booked. We'll also flag anything on the site visit that you might need to check, so there are no surprises closer to the date.

Frequently Asked Questions

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