The Kensington and Chelsea Licensing Sub-Committee convened to consider an objection to a temporary event notice (TEN) for First and Second Floor Flat, 299 Westbourne Park Road, London, W11 1EE, during the upcoming Notting Hill Carnival. The licensing authority received objections from both the Metropolitan Police and the Environmental Health Noise and Nuisance Team. The sub-committee was to determine whether to issue a counter notice, take no action, or impose conditions.

Temporary Event Notice: 299 Westbourne Park Road

The sub-committee was scheduled to consider a notice given by Miss Nicole Watkins to hold a temporary licensable event at First and Second Floor Flat, 299 Westbourne Park Road, London, W11 1EE.

Miss Nicole Watkins submitted a TEN to provide the sale of alcohol off the premises during Notting Hill Carnival 2025, on Saturday 23, Sunday 24, and Monday 25 August 2025. The hours of licensable activities were specified as 12:00 to 19:00 each day, with a maximum of 15 people at any one time.

Objections

PC Jinelle Caldinez, on behalf of the Metropolitan Police, objected to the TEN on the grounds of the prevention of crime and disorder and public safety. PC Jinelle Caldinez stated that the premises' location on Westbourne Park Road, close to Portobello Road, experiences high footfall, and that any premises selling alcohol in such a busy area could negatively impact crowd flow, potentially leading to congestion and safety issues.

PC Caldinez is concerned that any premises selling alcohol on Westbourne Park Road within such a busy area could have a negative impact on the crowd flow. This could result in queues, limiting the space for people to move. The congestion could lead to a bottle neck situation and/or heavy congestion. Any form of blockage such as the above can seriously impact on crowd dynamics and public safety.

PC Jinelle Caldinez also raised concerns that Miss Nicole Watkins had not complied with clauses 25.4 and 25.5 of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea's Licensing Policy¹ due to a lack of information on how the TEN would be managed, and the absence of a risk assessment. PC Jinelle Caldinez stated that the Metropolitan Police were aware that it is the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea's policy not to grant street trading licences where it is proposed to sell alcohol, or grant street trading licences for sales of any goods from a doorway onto the public highway during Notting Hill Carnival.

Mr Philip Richardson, on behalf of the Environmental Health Noise and Nuisance Team, objected to the TEN on the grounds of public nuisance and public safety. Mr Philip Richardson stated that the location of the TEN on the forecourt area in a congested area near the parade route was likely to exacerbate congestion and negatively affect crowd flow. Mr Philip Richardson also noted the absence of a risk assessment or event management plan.

Licensing Policy Considerations

The report pack included extracts from the council's statement of licensing policy², which outlines the four licensing objectives:

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

The statement of licensing policy also addresses temporary event notices, particularly in relation to Notting Hill Carnival, stating a preference for event organisers to give at least 28 days' notice of a planned event, and recommending that TENs within the Notting Hill Carnival 'footprint' are submitted at least 12 weeks in advance.

The statement of licensing policy also advises applicants to demonstrate how their proposed activity would support the licensing objectives and not have an adverse impact on emergency services during the carnival period, and expects applicants to include details of toilet facilities, crowd control measures, stewarding and security arrangements, and draft risk assessments and management plans.

Additional Information

The report pack included a map of the area, a list of licensed premises within the vicinity, a map of the 2024 Carnival footprint, and a list of temporary event notices received so far for this year's Carnival.