A Kensington and Chelsea (K&C) licensing sub-committee has denied a temporary event notice (TEN) application for the sale of alcohol from a flat in Colville Square during the Notting Hill Carnival. The decision, made on Thursday 26 June 2025, follows objections from the Metropolitan Police and the Environmental Health Noise and Nuisance team, who cited concerns over public safety and the prevention of crime and disorder. The committee issued a counter notice under section 105 of the Licensing Act 2003, effectively denying the application.
The applicant, Lauren Masroh-Campbell, has the right to appeal the decision, but according to the chair, The time limit for appealing this decision will not commence until further decision has been sent to the parties.
Ms. Masroh-Campbell applied for a temporary license to sell alcohol from the forecourt of Flat A, 19 Colville Square, London W11 2BQ, during the Notting Hill Carnival on Sunday 24 August and Monday 25 August 2025, between midday and 7pm each day. The application requested permission for the retail sale of alcohol, both on and off the premises. While Ms. Masroh-Campbell stated she had run similar events for the last two years without issues, the key change this year was the addition of alcohol sales to the event. As PC Mark Perry stated, There's a world of difference between running toilets, which are a public necessity during carnival, and selling alcohol. If you've got people queuing up to buy alcohol, they are going to want to get the alcohol.
PC Mark Perry from the Metropolitan Police, objected to the application on the grounds of the prevention of crime and disorder and public safety. He argued that allowing alcohol sales from private residences without proper licenses could negatively impact crowd dynamics and safety. PC Perry highlighted the narrow staircase leading to the basement flat as a potential hazard, especially with intoxicated patrons queuing. He also raised concerns about potential street trading without a license, which is against RBKC policy during the Notting Hill Carnival.
Mr Philip Richardson from the Environmental Health Noise and Nuisance team, echoed concerns about public safety, citing the location's potential to exacerbate congestion and negatively affect crowd flow. He noted the absence of a detailed risk assessment or event management plan addressing emergency procedures. Mr Richardson also questioned the plan's specificity regarding the location of licensable activities and its impact on public safety.
Ms Masroh-Campbell presented a risk assessment and a plan of the area, outlining measures for crowd safety management, including limiting the number of people in the forecourt to eight at a time and ensuring clear access routes. She stated that IDs would be checked to prevent underage drinking, and alcohol sales would be limited to two drinks per person. Portable toilets with hand-washing facilities would be provided and regularly cleaned. Neighbours would be notified, and contact numbers provided to address noise concerns.
Ms Masroh-Campbell explained that the on and off the property
request was to cover instances where people might consume drinks while queuing for the toilets. She emphasised that the primary intention was for customers to purchase and leave.
During the meeting, councillors questioned Ms Masroh-Campbell about safety measures, particularly concerning the narrow steps and crowd management. Ms Masroh-Campbell reassured the committee that no one queues on the stairs, with a one in, one out
system in place, and that she had a good relationship with the police who had helped manage crowds in previous years.
Councillor Lorne asked about the discrepancy between the application stating a limit of 30 people and the risk assessment mentioning eight. Ms Masroh-Campbell clarified that the 30 included those queuing on the street, while the eight referred to the number allowed in the forecourt at any given time.
Mr. James Rankin, representing the police, expressed concerns about the cumulative impact of temporary event notices during the carnival, stating that the police cannot account for the number or location of TENs in their planning, and that there may be some 100 of these temporary events. He argued that granting a license to Ms Masroh-Campbell would not prevent crime and disorder, citing the location's proximity to the carnival route and the potential for bottlenecks. He referenced paragraphs 25.4, 25.5, 25.6 and 25.10 of the council's licensing policy, which address applications that could cause bottlenecks. Paragraph 25.10 specifically mentions that the Licensing Authority will pay particular attention to measures proposed in a Temporary Event Notice in the Carnival footprint to limit the numbers of attendees to 499 at any one time, and is aware of the dangers of 'human bottlenecks' in the Carnival footprint.
PC Mark Perry added that the only other bar operating in the area was for the Rampage Sound System, and that the location was primarily residential. He distinguished between providing toilets, a public necessity, and selling alcohol, which could attract more people and lead to confrontations. PC Mark Perry expressed concern that the volunteers were not trained to handle potentially violent incidents and that there was no guarantee of police presence to assist.
Mr Philip Richardson reiterated concerns about public safety, questioning the adequacy of space for eight people and five staff members in the basement area. He raised concerns about sanitation, what would happen if the toilets were full or overflowed, and emergency evacuation procedures. Mr Richardson stated that the applicant should not rely on the police for safety, as it was her responsibility.
The full meeting transcript is available on the Open Council Network.