The Licensing Sub-Committee of Kensington and Chelsea Council met on Tuesday 27 May 2025 to consider an objection to a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) for King Tubby's Sound System. The committee decided not to issue a counter notice, allowing the event to proceed as planned.

Temporary Event Notice for King Tubby's Sound System

The committee considered an objection from the Metropolitan Police to a Temporary Event Notice submitted by Mr Cecil Rennie for King Tubby's Sound System, located on Clydesdale Road, London, W11 1JS. The event was scheduled to take place on Sunday 24 and Monday 25 August 2025, between 12:00 and 19:00 each day, with a maximum capacity of 499 people.

The objection from PC Tom Stewart of the Metropolitan Police was based on the grounds of the prevention of crime and disorder and public safety. The core of the objection was that there was no indication that Mr Rennie's risk assessment and event management plan had been approved by Notting Hill Carnival Limited (NHCL), the overarching event organiser.

The Noise and Nuisance Team had initially also objected on the grounds of public nuisance and public safety, citing the same reason regarding the lack of NHCL approval. However, this objection was withdrawn prior to the hearing after confirmation was received from the Notting Hill Carnival Safety Advisor that they had no comments on the risk assessment and event management plan.

Licensing Officer Sharon Dybal informed the committee that King Tubby's Sound System is a long-standing operator at Notting Hill Carnival, having submitted TENs for the sound system since 2006. She noted that while the required documents had been submitted, the police had not yet withdrawn their objection.

Councillor Dori Schmetterling asked for clarification on red blocks shown on the site plan, which were understood to be speakers, and was informed that this information could be obtained from the applicant after the meeting. Councillor Schmetterling also enquired about the historical location of the sound system, and was told it had been on Clydesdale Road for many years, though not necessarily in the exact same spot. Councillor Abdullahi Noor stated he had no questions for the licensing officer.

The committee was informed that there had been no known significant incidents or complaints related to King Tubby's Sound System at previous carnivals. The objection from the police was considered to be technical, stemming from the new requirement for sound systems to have their event management plans and risk assessments reviewed and accepted by Notting Hill Carnival.

After deliberating, the committee decided not to issue a counter notice under Section 105 of the Licensing Act 2003. This means the event can proceed on the dates and times specified in the TEN. A copy of the reasons for the decision will be provided to the police, who have the right to appeal to the Magistrates' Court within 21 days.