A Kensington and Chelsea Council sub-committee is considering a police objection to a temporary event notice (TEN) for the sale of alcohol at 198 Westbourne Park Road during the Notting Hill Carnival. The application, submitted by Mr Roy Gee Anthony Thomas Eccleston, seeks permission to sell alcohol from the front garden of the property on Sunday 24 and Monday 25 August 2025, between 12:00 and 19:00 each day.
The Licensing Authority will pay particular attention to any application for a premises licence or to any TEN notification in the Carnival 'footprint' area, and its close proximity, that is intended to include the weekend of Notting Hill Carnival (Saturday, Sunday and Monday). The council defines the Carnival 'footprint' as stretching from Harrow Road in the north, down to the Great West Road and Chepstow Road in the east, to Notting Hill Gate in the south and then Ladbroke Grove in the west.
The Kensington and Chelsea Statement of Licensing Policy recommends that TENs for events within the Notting Hill Carnival footprint are submitted at least 12 weeks in advance. The policy also states that the council prefers at least 28 days' notice for planned events. It does state that the Licensing Authority would prefer that Temporary Event Notices are not normally served on the Licensing Authority, the Metropolitan Police or the Noise and Nuisance Team any more than three months before the event is due to take place.
The Licensing Sub-Committee met on Friday 20 June 2025 to discuss the application and the objection. The sub-committee, comprised of Cllr Janet Evans (Chair, Licensing Committee) and Cllr Dori Schmetterling, is tasked with deciding whether to issue a counter notice, take no action, or impose conditions on the TEN.
The Metropolitan Police have formally objected to the TEN, citing concerns over crime and disorder, and public safety. PC Jinelle Caldinez, representing the police, stated that the location is in a highly congested area within the carnival footprint
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PC Caldinez has raised concerns that the location of the proposed activities is in a highly congested area within the carnival footprint and this may lead to an increase in crime and disorder as well as having the effect of drawing additional persons to an already congested area.
PC Caldinez also noted the lack of a specific plan, making it difficult for the police to determine where the licensable activities would occur. The Public Reports Pack includes PC Caldinez's full representation as Appendix B.
The council's Statement of Licensing Policy prefers at least 28 days' notice for planned events, and recommends 12 weeks' notice for events within the Notting Hill Carnival footprint, as detailed in Appendix C - Carnival Policy. The policy also notes that the police and the Council's Noise and Nuisance team are the only bodies who may make representations to a Temporary Event Notice.
The Licensing Sub-Committee will consider the police objection and make a decision based on 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 sub-committee has several options:
- Issue a counter notice, if it considers it necessary for the promotion of the crime prevention/public nuisance prevention objectives to do so. The agenda and reports pack state that this would be the consequence for Mr. Eccleston if the sub-committee issues a counter notice.
- Take no action.
- 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. Appendix C - Carnival Policy lists potential conditions such as: (i) No drinks to be supplied in glass or ceramic containers or vessels (viii) The permitted hours for the sale of alcohol, for premises licences and TENs operational only over the Carnival period, shall be between the hours of 10:00 and 19:00 on each of the Sunday and Monday of Notting Hill Carnival.