A bid to sell alcohol from a residential forecourt during Notting Hill Carnival has been refused by Kensington and Chelsea Council's Licensing Sub-Committee, citing concerns over public safety and potential disorder.
The committee met on Monday, August 24, 2026, to consider a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) for the sale of alcohol from the forecourt of 243A Ladbroke Grove. The notice, submitted by Ms Carlene Reid, sought permission to sell alcohol for off-premises consumption on Sunday, August 30, and Monday, August 31, 2026. The alcohol was to be supplied in cans or sealed plastic pouches only, with no glass permitted.
Objections to the TEN were lodged by the Metropolitan Police and the council's Noise and Nuisance Team. Both cited concerns that the proposed sale of alcohol would undermine the licensing objectives of preventing crime and disorder and ensuring public safety.
PC Mark Perry, representing the Metropolitan Police, highlighted that Ladbroke Grove is a particularly congested area during the Notting Hill Carnival, being on the main parade route. He argued that any premises selling alcohol in this location would act as a magnet
for crowds, potentially creating dangerous pinch points and increasing the risk of crushing and disorder. If there is an incident there, it's, it would take a significant amount of time when the crowd is at peak to get through there,
PC Perry stated.
The Noise and Nuisance Team echoed these concerns, noting the heavy congestion and the lack of a detailed risk assessment and event management plan to demonstrate how queues and congestion would be managed. For Temporary Event Notices (TENs), a Risk Assessment (RA) and Event Management Plan (EMP) are expected to demonstrate how public safety risks, including managing crowds and queues, will be safely implemented. The absence of these documents was a key point of objection from both the Metropolitan Police and the Noise and Nuisance Team.
Ms Reid had submitted revised documentation, including an event management plan and risk assessment, which proposed measures such as allowing only one customer in the forecourt at a time and suspending sales if congestion occurred. However, the committee found these measures insufficient. The forecourt at 243A Ladbroke Grove was described as approximately 10 ft wide by 8 ft deep. The TEN proposed a maximum capacity of four people within the forecourt at any one time, consisting of three staff members and one customer.
Councillor Edward Whitley questioned PC Perry on whether any additional measures could address the police's concerns. PC Perry responded that the objection was primarily on the location
and that he did not believe it was possible to run the event safely given the density of the crowds.
Following the representations, the Licensing Sub-Committee decided to issue a counter notice, refusing the TEN. The decision was based on the conclusion that allowing the event would undermine the licensing objectives of preventing crime and disorder and ensuring public safety due to the location on Ladbroke Grove during the busy carnival period.
Further details on the committee's agenda and reports can be found in the Public reports pack for the meeting on August 24, 2026.
