A Kensington and Chelsea Licensing Sub-Committee is considering objections from the police and the council's noise team regarding a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) for alcohol sales at a flat during the Notting Hill Carnival 2025.
The TEN was submitted by Miss Neleswa Mclean-Thorne for Flat C, 220 Westbourne Park Road, proposing the sale of alcohol on and off the premises between midday and 7pm on Sunday 24 August and Monday 25 August. The plan involves using the front garden of the property, with a maximum of 15 people at any one time.
However, PC Mark Perry, representing the Metropolitan Police, has objected to the TEN based on concerns over the Prevention of Crime and Disorder and Public Safety. According to the police representation, the premises is near the Disya Generation sound system in a busy area of the Carnival. PC Perry noted that the premises is located close to the Disya Generation sound system, within a particularly busy section of the Notting Hill Carnival footprint. The police are concerned that the sale of alcohol from the premises will attract crowds, causing congestion and potentially leading to public safety incidents. As PC Perry states, The applicants premises is close to Disya Generation Sound system which as you can see from the picture above attracts thousands of people, and it is incredibly congested.
PC Perry noted that while the applicant has some understanding of bar operations, there is no clear plan to manage crowds or potential disorder, and no security provision has been proposed. He also raised concerns about queues forming on the pavement and road, leading to congestion, crushing, or conflict.
PC Perry also highlighted the likelihood of alcohol being sold onto the public highway, requiring a street trading licence. He stated that it is the Royal Borough of Kensington Council's policy not to grant a street trading licence 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,
according to RBKC policy. He concluded that the application increases the risk of public safety incidents and alcohol-related crime, recommending the TEN be refused.
Mr Philip Richardson, a Principal Environmental Health Officer with Noise and Nuisance, has also objected on the grounds of Public Safety and Prevention of Public Nuisance. His representation, included as Appendix C, states that the forecourt area is in a highly congested part of the Carnival footprint, and the event could disrupt crowd movement, increasing the risk of a safety incident. Mr Richardson noted the lack of a risk assessment or event management plan, and no evidence of a street trading licence for alcohol sales on the public highway.
According to RBKC's Licensing Policy, applicants for TENs during the Notting Hill Carnival are expected to include the following in their applications:
- How they have worked with the council's events team to ensure adequate toilet facilities are available for their patrons.
- Details of how they will control the numbers of people at their venue.
- Details of the stewarding and security arrangements and other crowd control measures.
- Draft risk assessments and a draft management plan, unless arrangements are already in place with the Metropolitan Police and the Council.
The Licensing Sub-Committee, consisting of Cllr Marie-Therese Rossi (Vice-Chair), Cllr Linda Wade, and Cllr Dori Schmetterling, will consider the objections and take steps necessary for the promotion of 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. The committee can issue a counter notice, take no action, or impose conditions if the premises has an existing licence.
The Licensing Sub-Committee has the option to impose conditions already specified on a premises licence or club premises certificate if the premises in question already has one. The conditions must be consistent with the activities described in the Temporary Event Notice. The report states: (c) If the premises has the benefit of a premises licence or club premises certificate impose one or more conditions which are specified on the premises licence or club premises certificate which the committee considers are not inconsistent with the carrying out of the licensable activities under the temporary event notice.
The agenda for the meeting, scheduled for Tuesday 12 August 2025, includes consideration of the objection notices. The reports pack provides further details, including a copy of the TEN as Appendix A, a map of the area as Appendix E, and extracts from the council's statement of licensing policy as Appendix D.
