Kensington and Chelsea Council's Licensing Sub-Committee has rejected a bid by Jay Dees Catering Limited to sell alcohol during the Notting Hill Carnival, citing concerns over public safety and the prevention of crime and disorder.
The committee refused a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) for the premises at 28 Lancaster Road, London, W11 1QP, which sought permission to sell alcohol on and off the premises on Sunday, August 30, and Monday, August 31, 2026. The notice proposed a maximum capacity of 100 people and aimed to sell rum punch and canned beer.
The Metropolitan Police objected to the TEN, raising significant concerns about the premises' proximity to three sound systems in a heavily congested part of the carnival footprint. PC Mark Perry highlighted that this location attracts thousands of people, and it is incredibly congested.
The police feared that the proposed event, by generating crowds looking to buy drinks, would block the pavement and road, create pinch points, and impede the flow of people, thereby increasing the risk of overcrowding, public safety incidents, and disorder. These concerns directly relate to the prevention of crime and disorder and public safety licensing objectives.
During the hearing, Mrs. Jackie Johnson and her representative, Ms. Simone Foster, stated that the event would be confined to the shop's forecourt and that their primary business was food. They also mentioned having trained staff for monitoring and de-escalation. However, the committee raised concerns about the adequacy of security. Mrs. Johnson confirmed that the proposed security staff were not SIA licensed, although they were trained. The police also noted in their objection that they did not believe SIA security would safely manage queues of people due to the anticipated high number of people.
This lack of SIA-licensed security was a critical point of contention, as it directly impacts the ability to manage crowds and prevent disorder.
Questions were also raised about queue management and disorder mitigation, with the applicant's response indicating reliance on the proximity of the police. The committee noted that the applicant's risk assessment and event management plan did not appear to fully address these issues.
In their decision, the Licensing Sub-Committee, chaired by Councillor Greg Hammond, concluded that issuing a counter notice was necessary for the promotion of the licensing objectives, particularly the prevention of crime and disorder and public safety. No other specific licensing objectives were mentioned as being at risk.
This is not the first time Jay Dees Catering Limited has sought a license for the Notting Hill Carnival. Mrs. Jackie Johnson stated, We used one year, I think we used it for 2014, and this is our second year asking for another license.
She also mentioned, we have, you guys had granted licensing back in 2024, but then we didn't even sell, you know, much of it anyway,
indicating previous applications for licenses during Carnival periods.
Details of the Temporary Event Notice and the police objection can be found in the Public reports pack.
