When we first started helping clients organise outdoor events, one of the earliest lessons we learned was this: the magic happens long before show day.
You can’t just point at a field and expect everything to fall into place. In Scotland, especially, the legal, logistical, and environmental complexities demand months of groundwork. At Purvis Marquees, we live in that space between possibility and permission.
Let us walk you through how we’d approach setting up a large-scale outdoor event in Scotland, with all the licensing, health & safety, and environmental guardrails, and what we’d emphasise to any client considering going “big.”
The Timeline Starts Early, Really Early
For any gathering over 5,000 people, many Scottish local authorities expect to see proposals 9 to 12 months ahead. That window gives time for consultation with the council, Police Scotland, environmental officers, and sometimes even Scottish Natural Heritage (if the site is ecologically sensitive). If you leave it to six months, you’re cutting it tight.
Even for smaller-but-still-significant events, early engagement is your friend. Put together a “skeleton plan” you can show as a placeholder while you firm up details.
Licensing & Permits: The Long Tail
Public Entertainment Licence
If your event involves public entertainment, music, performances, shows, etc. and people are paying for entrance (or even if they’re not, in many cases) you’ll almost certainly need a Public Entertainment Licence. In Glasgow, for example, the guidance is clear: this licence is needed when premises are used for entertainment “whether or not there is a charge.”
It often requires 5 weeks at minimum, but for large events, expect more. Also note: some smaller events (e.g. under ~500 people) might be exempt if risk is deemed low and standard safety guidance (such as HSG195 / the “Purple Guide”) is followed.
Occasional Licence (Alcohol)
If you’ll be selling or serving alcohol, you’ll need an occasional licence. The Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 sets that up.
A few critical points:
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The licence can last no more than 14 days.
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The cost is modest (can be around £10 depending where you are) for the licence itself.
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You need to give the Police and Licensing Standards Officer at least 21 days to comment (i.e. plan ahead).
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In some council areas, the guidance is that 28 days’ notice is a statutory minimum, but earlier is recommended.
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For voluntary bodies, there are caps: e.g. in a 12-month period, no more than 12 licences of under 4 days; no more than 4 licences of 4 days or more; and total licensed days cannot exceed 56.
One subtlety: just because you have a premises licence somewhere doesn’t automatically mean your outdoor site is covered. Always check whether you need to extend, vary, or seek a new occasional licence for the specific site or event.
Public Procession Order
If your event is a moving event (parade, procession, march, etc.), you need to notify the local council and Police Scotland at least 28 days in advance.
Market / Trade Licensing
If you’re allowing multiple stalls/vendors selling goods, you might need a market operator licence. That varies by local authority. Always check with the local licensing/trading standards dept.
Music Licensing (PPL / PRS / TheMusicLicence)
Since 2018, PPL and PRS have merged many functions into The Music Licence to simplify licensing for public performance or broadcast of music.
You’ll need to select the correct tariff (based on event type, scale, and whether it’s live or recorded).
Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO)
Large events that affect public roads—road closures, parking restrictions, diversions—will require a TTRO. You’ll need a traffic management plan, consultation with transport agencies, and to submit the order at least 12 weeks beforehand.
Permits for Raised Structures
Any stage, platform, or raised structure often falls under permitting (for example, under Section 89 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982). You’ll need structural drawings, load tests, and sign-off from building/structural engineers.
Health, Safety & Liability: The Safety Net
Event Safety Plan
This is your foundational document: site plan, ingress/egress routes, fire strategies, risk assessments, spectator sightlines, barrier layouts, etc. For large events you’ll typically engage a dedicated safety officer and a safety team.
The plan should include crowd modelling, worst-case scenarios, emergency escape routes, and interface with all contractors (staging, lighting, fences, power).
First Aid & Medical
A robust medical provision is non-negotiable. You’ll need trained first aiders, possibly paramedics or ambulances on standby, and a medical plan aligned with the expected crowd profile.
Crowd Management
You’ll need trained marshals or stewards (often SIA-licensed or equivalent), clear signage, barrier demarcations, emergency corridors, radios, high-visibility clothing, and muster points. Your risk assessment must show how crowd density is controlled.
Public Liability Insurance (PLI)
A large event will often demand £5 million or more in cover. Make sure your policy explicitly covers setup and takedown periods, not just “event hours.”
Electrical Safety
If your event is in Edinburgh—or in many local authority areas—you’ll need a satisfactory Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) for any temporary installation. Be ready to show that to licensing, environmental health, or electrical inspectors.
Fire & Structural Safety
Ensure adequate fire extinguishers, fire break zones, safe distances between marquees, flame-retardant materials, and appropriate egress. All temporary structures must meet structural safety standards and be signed off.
Noise Management
Prepare a noise management plan. Liaise with environmental health to set limits and monitoring. Use noise modelling if necessary, particularly for rural or residential areas.
Environmental & Community Considerations
Scottish Outdoor Access Code
Scotland’s access rights allow public access to most land and inland water, but with a duty to act responsibly. The Outdoor Access Code offers guidance for event organisers, especially around paths, routes, and temporary restriction of access.
If your event might interfere with land management, you need permission from the landowner, and in special cases a temporary exemption order might be required to restrict public access.
Environmental Impact
You must plan for waste management, including recycling, litter pick, toilets, sewage disposal, and post-event restoration. Consider wildlife protection, erosion, habitat disturbance, and soil compaction. Some sites will require an environmental impact assessment depending on sensitivity or scale.
Sustainability
At Purvis Marquees, we always recommend a sustainability strategy: water refill stations (to reduce single-use bottles), eco-toilets, biodegradable products, recycling stations, and encouraging public transport or shuttle services.
Community Engagement
Before announcing your event, engage with local residents and businesses. Let them know about road closures, timings, noise control, and access changes. Publish a “neighbour’s bulletin,” have a contact hotline, and consider compensatory benefits (free passes, local trade inclusion). This helps reduce objections, fosters goodwill, and smooths licensing and planning discussions.
Contingency & Resilience
Weather & Site Readiness
Scotland’s weather is famously unpredictable. Your plan must allow for wind, rain, hail, low temperatures. That means robust marquees (engineered for wind load), drainage, temporary flooring, hardstanding, weather shelters, and safe anchor systems (ballast, ground plates).
Cancellation & Postponement Insurance
In addition to PLI, we’d advise getting specialist event-cancellation insurance that covers losses from adverse weather, civil unrest, or acts beyond your control.
Alternative Plans & Fail-Safes
Have backup routes, alternative stage positions, backup power generators, redundancy in supplier contracts, and a clear incident escalation plan. Brief all teams and run scenario drills.
Communication Plan
A reliable communications network is vital: radios, messaging, public announcements, emergency alerts, and contingency fallback systems (satellite phones if mobile network fails).
Pulling It Together: A Story, Not a Checklist
We once worked with a client planning a midsize Scottish folk festival (circa 7,000 people) in a riverside park. From the start, we insisted we build everything from “permissions first, tents second.” We began 10 months in advance. The biggest bottleneck was the traffic order and road closure, we nearly missed the deadline for TTRO application by a few weeks, and had to negotiate revisions with the council. Because we engaged the community early, local objections were manageable. We had our PLI arrangement signed off, our safety plan agreed by the council, and a surplus of marshal shifts scheduled. On event day, mid-afternoon, a severe wind front came through, our marquee anchoring and structural testing paid off: we resecured edges and continued almost unscathed.
That festival taught us a mantra: “No surprises, only contingencies.”
If Purvis Marquees is positioned as a full-service partner (not just a tent supplier), your content should promise, and show evidence of capability across all those domains: licensing, safety, stakeholder liaison, contingency execution.
