A Kensington and Chelsea Licensing Sub-Committee is considering an objection to a temporary event notice (TEN) that would allow a Jamaican food exhibition to sell alcohol during the Notting Hill Carnival. The sub-committee is comprised of Cllr Toby Benton, Cllr Laura Burns, and Cllr Lucy Knight.
The Council's Statement of Licensing Policy addresses alcohol sales during the Notting Hill Carnival in several ways. It recommends that TENs are submitted at least 12 weeks in advance, paying particular attention to applications within the Carnival 'footprint', and advising applicants to demonstrate how their proposed activity would support the licensing objectives and not adversely impact emergency services. It also mentions specific conditions that may be attached to premises licenses for the Carnival period, such as no drinks in glass containers, restrictions on alcohol promotions, and the presence of a personal license holder.
The application by Mr Miles Hilton Chambers for the NHC 2025 - Jamaican Food Exhibition, located at 119 Ladbroke Grove, seeks permission to sell alcohol off the premises between 11:00 and 20:00 on Sunday 24 August and Monday 25 August 2025. The proposal involves using the front garden of the property, with a maximum of six people present at any one time.
However, the application has faced objections from both the Metropolitan Police and the council's Noise and Nuisance Team.
PC Tom Stewart, representing the Metropolitan Police, raised concerns about the prevention of crime and disorder, and public safety. According to the police objection notice, the location is directly on the Notting Hill Carnival parade route in a highly congested area. The police believe that off-sales of alcohol from the front forecourt could cause queues and gatherings, creating pinch points, impeding pedestrian flow, and obstructing emergency access.
The police objection also notes that the TEN is outside the standard permitted hours for Carnival (applying from 11:00 instead of 12:00) and that the location is not part of the official event plan coordinated by Notting Hill Carnival Ltd (NHCL). Reference is made to the potential requirement for a street trading licence under the London Local Authorities Act 1990, and the absence of such a licence. The Metropolitan Police consider that the TEN would present unacceptable public safety risks and could contribute to alcohol-related crime and disorder.
It is the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea'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 doorway into the public highway during Notting Hill Carnival.
Mr Philip Richardson, a Principal Environmental Health Officer for RBKC Environmental Health Noise and Nuisance, also objected, citing public safety and the prevention of public nuisance. His representation, detailed in Appendix C - NoiseJamaican, echoes concerns about the premises' location on the parade route and the potential for the TEN to exacerbate congestion by attracting and holding people at the site, adversely affecting crowd movement.
Mr. Chambers provided a document titled Anticipated reactions to concerns for application for TEN For the front Garden of 119 Ladbroke Grove London W11 1PG
where he outlined measures to address potential issues. These included selling on the side of Cornwallace Crescent to avoid congestion on Ladbroke Grove, allowing customers to step into the garden to buy but immediately move on, and utilizing a ledge around the front of the garden. He also addressed age verification, the use of cans instead of glass or plastic, and his experience with crowd control.
The report before the sub-committee outlines the options available to them:
- Issue a counter notice if it considers it necessary for the promotion of any of the licensing objectives to do so.
- Take no action, and allow the notice to have effect.
- 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 sub-committee can impose one or more conditions 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 sub-committee will consider the objections and make a decision based on the promotion of the licensing objectives. The decision will take into account the Council's Statement of Licensing Policy, a map of the area, a list of licensed premises within the vicinity, a map of the 2024 Carnival footprint, and a list of temporary event notices received so far for this year's Carnival.
The Licensing Sub-Committee met on Thursday 14 August 2025 to discuss the matter. The meeting information does not contain the outcome of the meeting.
