A Kensington and Chelsea Licensing Sub-Committee has denied a Portobello Road shop permission to sell alcohol during the Notting Hill Carnival, following objections from the police and the council's Noise and Nuisance Team.
The Licensing Sub-Committee convened on Tuesday, 15 July 2025, to review a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) submitted by Mr Mohammed Zomlot, designated premises supervisor for the premises at Ground Floor, 274 Portobello Road. Mr Zomlot sought permission to sell alcohol through a window onto Acklam Road during the Notting Hill Carnival on Sunday 24 and Monday 25 August 2025, between the hours of 12:00 and 19:00 each day. The proposed maximum number of people permitted at any one time was 35.
However, the application faced opposition from both the Metropolitan Police and the Environmental Health Noise & Nuisance team. PC Tom Stewart of the Metropolitan Police objected to the TEN on the grounds of the prevention of crime and disorder and public safety. PC Stewart raised concerns about the potential impact on crowd flow. According to the Public Reports Pack, PC Stewart stated he:
has concerns that the proposed sale of alcohol into Acklam Road is likely to have a negative impact on crowd flow and dynamics.
Mr Philip Richarson of the Environmental Health Noise & Nuisance team also objected, citing public safety concerns. He noted that the location's proximity to street trading stalls on Acklam Road, an area known for heavy congestion, could be exacerbated by the proposed alcohol sales. According to the Public Reports Pack, Mr Richardson stated:
The Notice will undermine public safety as the location is situated very close to the street trading stalls on Acklam Road, an area known for heavy congestion. The Notice is likely to exacerbate this congestion by drawing and holding people at the site, which could negatively affect crowd flow in this area.
The sub-committee was presented with several options, including issuing a counter notice, taking no action, or imposing conditions from the existing premises licence. The Public Reports Pack included a copy of the Temporary Event Notice (Appendix A- TEN), the premises licence (Appendix B- Premises Licence), PC Stewart's objection (Appendix C- Police Objection), and Mr Richardson's objection (Appendix D-Nosie and Nuisance Objection).
The council's statement of licensing policy, particularly guidance related to Notting Hill Carnival, was also considered. The policy emphasizes the council's commitment to a safe and enjoyable carnival, with close attention paid to any applications for premises licences or TENs within the carnival footprint, as detailed in Appendix E - Carnival Policy.
The Public Reports Pack also included a map of the area (Appendix F), a list of licensed premises in the vicinity (Appendix G), a map of the 2024 Carnival footprint (Appendix H), and a list of temporary event notices received for this year's Carnival (Appendix I).
Ultimately, the sub-committee sided with the police and the Noise and Nuisance Team, denying the request to sell alcohol from the shop during the carnival.