A bid to operate a temporary bar at Golborne Mews during the Notting Hill Carnival has been refused by Kensington and Chelsea Council due to public safety concerns.
The Licensing Sub-Committee decided to issue a counter notice, effectively blocking the Temporary Event Notice (TEN) submitted by Mr. Dominic Masters Ogden. The TEN sought permission to sell alcohol off the premises between 12 noon and 7 pm on Saturday, August 29, Sunday, August 30, and Monday, August 31, 2026, with a maximum of 12 people permitted at any one time.
The objection from the Council's Environmental Health Noise and Nuisance Team, represented by Mr. Philip Richardson, highlighted that the proposed bar site was adjacent to the Latin Rave Sound System on a busy section of Portobello Road during the Carnival. Mr. Richardson argued that the event was likely to exacerbate this congestion by drawing and holding people at the site, which could negatively affect crowd flow.
He also noted the absence of a risk assessment or event management plan to address the specific safety challenges of operating a bar next to a sound system during the Carnival.
The Environmental Health Noise and Nuisance Team's objection was based on public safety concerns, specifically that the proposed bar site posed a risk due to its proximity to a sound system on a busy section of Portobello Road during the Carnival. They stated that the event was likely to exacerbate this congestion by drawing and holding people at the site, which could negatively affect crowd flow.
Additionally, they noted the lack of evidence that a street trading licence had been granted for the sale of alcohol onto the public highway.
Furthermore, the objection stated there was no evidence of a street trading licence being granted for the sale of alcohol onto the public highway. Mr. Ogden believed that gating the mews during Carnival would create a private area
negating the need for a street trading license. However, the council's Environmental Health department and the Licensing Sub-Committee did not accept this interpretation as sufficient to bypass the requirement for a street trading license for the sale of alcohol onto the public highway.
Mr. Ogden attempted to allay these concerns by explaining his intention to position himself behind the sound system to minimise queuing and to have security personnel manage any overflow. He also stated that his stock would be minimal and easily removable, and that the mews would be gated, creating a private area. However, these adjustments were not deemed sufficient to satisfy the council's safety concerns, particularly regarding congestion and the lack of a formal risk assessment.
However, the committee, chaired by Councillor Greg Hammond, upheld the Environmental Health department's concerns. Councillor Hammond pointed out that the council's policy for Carnival events strongly encourages early submission of TENs for proper assessment and that late submissions or those with potential safety issues are likely to face objections. The council's policy strongly encourages early submission of TENs to allow for proper assessment and liaison.
Specifically for Notting Hill Carnival events, the council recommends that TENs are submitted at least 12 weeks in advance.
The consequences of late submissions are that they are likely to face objections
and will be invalid and the event will not go ahead
because there is insufficient time for the Metropolitan Police, Local Authority, and event organiser to consider their impact on the licensing objectives within the overall Notting Hill Carnival policing and safety plan.
The decision was made to promote the licensing objective of public safety. The refusal of this Temporary Event Notice (TEN) highlights the council's strict approach to public safety during the Notting Hill Carnival. It suggests that applicants must provide comprehensive risk assessments and event management plans, adhere to submission timelines, and ensure they have the necessary licenses, such as a street trading license for alcohol sales. The decision implies that any TEN application that does not adequately address these points, especially concerning public safety and congestion, is likely to face objections and potential refusal.
