Kensington and Chelsea Council has blocked a resident's bid to sell alcohol from their flat on Tavistock Road during the Notting Hill Carnival in 2025, citing public safety and nuisance concerns. The council aims to have a safe and enjoyable Carnival, and the Licensing Authority pays particular attention to any application for a premises licence or to any Temporary Event Notice (TEN) notification in the Carnival area, and its close proximity, that is intended to include the weekend of Notting Hill Carnival (Saturday, Sunday and Monday).
The Licensing Sub-Committee convened on Thursday 10 July 2025, to review a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) submitted by Mr Innocent Ndemera for Flat A, 27 Tavistock Road. Mr Ndemera sought permission to sell alcohol, specifically slush with the choice of added alcohol. The flavors will be inspired by the Caribbean culture,
from the forecourt of his property during the Notting Hill Carnival on Sunday 24 August 2025 and Monday 25 August 2025, between the hours of 12:00 and 19:00. The application specified a maximum of three people at any one time. The Temporary Event Notice provides further details of the application.
However, the Metropolitan Police and the Environmental Health Noise and Nuisance team lodged objections to the TEN, leading to the sub-committee hearing. PC Mark Perry of the Metropolitan Police raised concerns about public safety and the prevention of crime and disorder. He noted the flat's location within a congested part of the Carnival footprint, near five established sound systems. PC Perry stated:
PC Perry expresses serious concerns over the location of the proposed activity, which sits within a particularly congested part of the Carnival footprint near five established sound systems. Based on previous years, the Police expect thousands of people to pass through this area at peak times, and believe that the addition TEN could generate crowds, block the road and pavement, and create dangerous pinch points.
PC Perry also highlighted that Mr Ndemera is not a personal licence holder and had not engaged with Notting Hill Carnival Ltd. Furthermore, selling alcohol from a private front garden onto the public highway would require a street trading licence, which is not permitted during Carnival according to Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) policy. PC Perry highlights that proceeding without a street trading licence would constitute a criminal offence and directly undermine the licensing objectives. The police objection provides further details.
Mr Philip Richardson, representing the Environmental Health Noise and Nuisance team, echoed these concerns, citing the prevention of public nuisance and public safety as grounds for objection. He believed the TEN would exacerbate congestion in an area already known for heavy foot traffic due to its proximity to sound systems on St Luke's Road and All Saints Road. Further details are available in the noise and nuisance objection.
Both the police and the Noise and Nuisance Team noted the absence of evidence indicating that Mr Ndemera had obtained a street trading licence for selling alcohol on the public highway. RBKC policy does not permit the granting of street trading licenses where it is proposed to sell alcohol, or to grant street trading licences for sales of any goods from a private address into the public highway during Notting Hill Carnival.
The Licensing Sub-Committee, comprised of Cllr Janet Evans (Chair, Licensing Committee), Cllr Laura Burns (Deputy Mayor and Vice-Chair, Licensing Committee), and Cllr Abdullahi Nur (Environmental Spokesperson), considered the objections in light of the four licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm.
Ultimately, the council decided to block alcohol sales from the flat during the carnival. The report considered by the Licensing Sub-Committee also included the Carnival Policy and a map of the area.
