The Licensing Sub-Committee was scheduled to convene to consider a notice given by Mr Innocent Ndemera to hold a temporary licensable event at Flat A, 27 Tavistock Road. Objections to the notice were received from the Metropolitan Police and the Environmental Health Noise and Nuisance team, prompting the hearing. The sub-committee was to consider these objections and determine whether to allow the event to proceed, reject it, or impose conditions.

Temporary Event Notice: Flat A, 27 Tavistock Road

Mr Ndemera submitted a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) to use the forecourt of Flat A, 27 Tavistock Road, London, W11 1AS during Notting Hill Carnival 2025 for the sale of alcohol, both on and off the premises. The proposed hours of licensable activities were from 12:00 to 19:00 on both Sunday 24 August 2025 and Monday 25 August 2025, with a maximum of three people at any one time.

Objections from Relevant Persons

PC Mark Perry of the Metropolitan Police objected to the TEN on the grounds of public safety and the prevention of crime and disorder. PC Perry raised concerns about the location of the proposed activity within a congested part of the Carnival footprint, near five established sound systems. He stated that the police expected thousands of people to pass through this area at peak times, and believed that the TEN could generate crowds, block the road and pavement, and create dangerous pinch points.

PC Perry expresses serious concerns over the location of the proposed activity, which sits within a particularly congested part of the Carnival footprint near five established sound systems. Based on previous years, the Police expect thousands of people to pass through this area at peak times, and believe that the addition TEN could generate crowds, block the road and pavement, and create dangerous pinch points.

The police objection also noted that Mr Ndemera is not a personal licence holder and had not engaged with Notting Hill Carnival Ltd. PC Perry also highlighted that selling alcohol from a private front garden into the public highway would require a street trading licence¹, which Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) policy does not permit during Carnival.

Mr Philip Richardson, on behalf of the Environmental Health Noise and Nuisance team, also objected to the TEN, citing concerns over the prevention of public nuisance and public safety. Mr Richardson believed the TEN would undermine public safety and cause public nuisance because the location is close to a number of sound systems, namely in St Luke's Road and All Saints Road, an area known for heavy congestion. He stated that permitting the TEN was likely to exacerbate congestion by drawing and holding people at the site, which could negatively affect the flow of the crowd.

Both the police and the Noise and Nuisance Team raised concerns that there was no evidence that a street trading licence had been obtained to permit sales of alcohol on the public highway.

Council Considerations

The report outlined that in determining the matter, the Licensing Sub-Committee should consider the objections and take steps necessary for the promotion of the licensing objectives², which are:

• The prevention of crime and disorder
• Public safety
• The prevention of public nuisance
• The protection of children from harm

The sub-committee was to consider the following options:

• Issue a counter notice if it considers it necessary for the promotion of any of the licensing objectives to do so.
• Take no action, and allow the notice to have effect.
• If the premises has the benefit of a premises licence or club premises certificate impose one or more conditions which are specified on the premises licence or club premises certificate which the committee considers are not inconsistent with the carrying out of the licensable activities under the temporary event notice.

The report included extracts from the council's Statement of Licensing Policy, particularly those relating to Temporary Event Notices and the Notting Hill Carnival. It noted that the Licensing Authority prefers that TENs for events within the Notting Hill Carnival 'footprint' are submitted at least 12 weeks in advance to allow for full discussion between the organiser and interested parties. The map of the area showed the location of Flat A, 27 Tavistock Road, in relation to nearby licensed premises. A list of temporary event notices received so far for this year's Carnival was also provided.