A Notting Hill Carnival party faces potential restrictions after police raised concerns about a temporary event notice (TEN) for alcohol sales at a flat on the parade route.
The Kensington and Chelsea Licensing Sub-Committee convened on Friday 20 June 2025 to consider the TEN application from Mr Jonathan Hewitt for Flat A, 239 Ladbroke Grove. The application sought permission to sell alcohol for consumption on and off the premises during the Notting Hill Carnival on Sunday 24 August 2025 and Monday 25 August 2025, between 12:00 and 19:00 each day, with a maximum of 27 people present at any one time.
Mr. Hewitt submitted a temporary event notice, a risk assessment, and an event management plan to the sub-committee to demonstrate how his proposed activity would support the licensing objectives and not adversely impact emergency services. These documents are available as Appendix A to the report.
However, the Metropolitan Police and the Noise and Nuisance Team lodged objections to the TEN, citing concerns over public safety, crime and disorder, and public nuisance. PC Tom Stewart of the Metropolitan Police objected on the grounds of the prevention of crime and disorder and public safety. According to the Public Reports Pack, PC Stewart argued that allowing the TEN would likely increase congestion in the area, as the premises are situated on the Carnival parade route. He also expressed apprehension about the potential for increased intoxication, vulnerability, and alcohol-fuelled crime and disorder due to the increased availability of alcohol.
PC Stewart elaborated that the increase in alcohol provision could lead to increased intoxication, vulnerability, and alcohol-fuelled crime and disorder. He stated that allowing the sale of alcohol in this location would negatively impact crowd flow, increase intoxication, and heighten the risk of vulnerability, as well as alcohol-fuelled crime and disorder.
PC Stewart further stated:
It is apparent from your TEN that you will be selling alcohol from a private address/premises into the public highway. This requires a street trading licence under the London Local Authorities Act 1990. The MPS are aware that it is the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea's policy not to grant street trading licences for the sale of alcohol, or to grant street trading licences for sales of any goods from a private address into the public highway during Notting Hill Carnival. Any unauthorised street trading will therefore constitute a criminal offence, undermining the Prevention of Crime and Disorder licensing objective.
Mr Philip Richardson of the Noise and Nuisance Team echoed these concerns, objecting to the TEN on the grounds of the prevention of public nuisance and public safety. Mr Richardson agreed with the police that the location of the premises on the Carnival parade route was likely to increase congestion. He also noted a lack of a specific plan and therefore the inability for RBKC to accurately determine where the licensable activities will be taking place and how this will affect public safety.
The Noise Objection further mentions that the location is situated directly adjacent to the parade route on Ladbroke Grove, an area known for heavy congestion, and that the TEN is likely to exacerbate this congestion by drawing and holding people at the site, which could negatively affect the flow of the crowd.
The sub-committee is scheduled to decide whether to allow the event to proceed, reject it, or impose conditions. If the premises already has a premises licence, the Licensing Sub-Committee may allow the TEN but impose some, or all, of the conditions on the premises licence onto the TEN if appropriate. The Public Reports Pack mentions that the committee may 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 council's Carnival Policy states that particular attention will be paid to any application for a premises licence or TEN in the Carnival area, and that applicants should demonstrate how their proposed activity would support the licensing objectives and not have an adverse impact on the existing high demands that the emergency services are under over the Carnival period. The policy also states that if representations are submitted against a Temporary Event Notice, on the basis that the maximum number of permitted attendees will be exceeded, the Licensing Committee will be highly likely to issue a counter notice, particularly where a number of TENs are in close proximity to each other, unless convinced that attendees will be restricted to the legal limit.
PC Tom Stewart noted that selling alcohol from a private address/premises into the public highway requires a street trading licence under the London Local Authorities Act 1990. He stated that any unauthorised street trading will therefore constitute a criminal offence, undermining the Prevention of Crime and Disorder licensing objective. He also noted that the MPS are aware that it is the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea's policy not to grant street trading licences for the sale of alcohol, or to grant street trading licences for sales of any goods from a private address into the public highway during Notting Hill Carnival.