This licence allows civil marriages and civil partnerships to take place on premises approved by the Council.
This follows the relevant regulation: The Marriages and Civil Partnerships (Approved Premises) Regulations 2005.
Eligibility criteria
- The application must be made by the owner or director of the premises.
- The premises must be an appropriate venue for the proceedings.
- The premises must be regularly available to the public for use for the solemnisation of marriages or the formation of civil partnerships.
- The premises must have the designated fire preventions, having consulted the Fire Authority, and such other reasonable health and safety of people employed in or visiting the premises as we consider appropriate.
- The premises must not be a religious premises or a register office.
- The room or rooms in which the ceremony will take place must be identifiable by description as a distinct part of the premises.
How to apply
To apply you will need to fill in the application form.
Application fees
You can find details of the application fee on our fees and charges page.
Accompanying documents
Applications must be sent to the Council for premises situated in Trafford.
Applications must be on the given form and accompanied by:
- The stated fee
- Plan of the premises, which must be clear and legible
- Other information we may ask for to decide if the premises meet the criteria
What happens next
We will arrange for the premises to be inspected as soon as possible.
We must grant the application if no objections have been received.
If you have not heard from us at the end of 28 days, you can act as though your application is granted. This is called tactic consent.
Tacit consent will only apply for licences or registrations submitted electronically, or if the business can show proof of delivery from a post office or recognised courier.
Objections
If we receive objections to the application, we must decide on it within 56 days. A hearing must also be held if any objections are made.
As soon as you have been notified about our objections, contact the licensing team by emailing licensing@trafford.gov.uk or calling 0161 912 4242.
Refused applications
You can request a review if approval has been refused, or additional conditions have been imposed other than the standard conditions.
To request a review, write to:
Regulatory Services Manager (Trading Standards and Licensing)
Chief Inspector of Weights and Measures
Trafford Council
Trafford Town Hall
Talbot Road
Stretford
Manchester
M32 0TH
We will arrange for a review of the decision by the appropriate sub-committee.
We will give notice in writing of our decision, stating our reasons for that decision and the date from which it takes effect.
Revoked applications
We may revoke an approval at any time if we are satisfied that you have failed to comply with the conditions attached to it, or the use or structure of the premises has changed.
Before we revoke the approval, we will write to you stating the reasons and invite you to make a written representation within 14 days. We will take this into account before making a final decision.