Kensington and Chelsea Council is reviewing 49 temporary event notices (TENs) submitted for the 2025 Notting Hill Carnival, as revealed in a Licensing Sub-Committee meeting. The council typically pays close attention to measures proposed in a TEN to limit attendees to 499 at any one time.
The council's Licensing Sub-Committee convened on Tuesday, 5 August 2025, to discuss a specific objection to a TEN submitted by Ms Janet Nwizugbo for 33 Cambridge Gardens. The application sought permission to sell alcohol off the premises from the front garden of the property during the Carnival on Sunday 24 August and Monday 25 August 2025, between 12:00 and 19:00 each day, with a maximum of eight people present at any one time.
However, the Metropolitan Police and the Environmental Health Noise and Nuisance team lodged objections to the TEN. PC Gerry of the Metropolitan Police cited concerns over crime and disorder and public safety, noting that Cambridge Gardens is located in a very busy part of the Carnival footprint as Cambridge Gardens runs between Portobello Road and Ladbroke Grove.
The officer added that two sound systems would be operating nearby, increasing the risk of overcrowding, pickpocketing, theft, sexual assaults, and large-scale disorder.
Mr Julian Trill, Team Manager of the Environmental Health Noise and Nuisance Teams, echoed these concerns, also objecting on the grounds of public safety. He noted that while similar off-sale bars had been authorised in the area during previous carnivals, there were legitimate crowd safety concerns relating to this type of alcohol sale onto the public highway across the Notting Hill Carnival area.
The Licensing Sub-Committee was tasked with considering the objections and taking steps to promote the licensing objectives, which include the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm. Options available to the sub-committee included issuing a counter notice, taking no action, or imposing conditions specified on the premises licence or club premises certificate.
Where relevant representations have been submitted, conditions such as no drinks to be supplied in glass or ceramic containers, no external advertisements of alcohol promotions, and alcohol only being sold when a personal licence holder is on the premises may be attached to relevant premises licences for the Carnival period only. Other conditions may include ensuring that anyone carrying out a security function is licensed by the Security Industry Authority, and that stewards are suitably trained and experienced in maintaining crowd control at Notting Hill Carnival.
The meeting also referenced extracts from the council's statement of licensing policy, which prefers event organisers to give at least 28 days' notice of a planned event. For events within the Notting Hill Carnival footprint, the council recommends TENs are submitted at least 12 weeks in advance. The policy also addresses concerns about multiple TENs in close proximity, referencing recommendations from the House of Lords Select Committee on the Licensing Act 2003. The House of Lords Select Committee recommended that 'Where it appears that notices are being given for TENs simultaneously on adjacent plots of land, resulting in effect in the maximum number attending exceeding the 500 person limit, we would expect the police or environmental health officers to object, and the licensing authority to issue a counter notice. We recommend that the section 182 Guidance be amended to make this clear.'
The report pack included a list of the 49 TENs received for the 2025 Carnival, excluding those withdrawn or issued a counter notice. A counter notice is highly likely to be issued if representations are submitted against a TEN on the basis that the maximum number of permitted attendees will be exceeded, particularly where a number of TENs are in close proximity to each other, unless convinced that attendees will be restricted to the legal limit. The list included applications from establishments such as Cottons, Rapattack (Bar Site), Mike's Cafe, and Tubby's System Sound, among others. The Appendix H-TENS for Carnival document provides a full list of the applications.
The Licensing Sub-Committee will now consider the evidence and make a decision on the TEN submitted by Ms Nwizugbo, taking into account the concerns raised by the police and environmental health, and the council's licensing objectives and policies.