The Kensington and Chelsea Licensing Sub-Committee met to consider a notice to hold a temporary licensable event. This followed an objection from the Metropolitan Police on the grounds of public safety, and the prevention of crime and disorder. The report pack included a recommendation to the committee to consider the objection notice.

Objection to Temporary Event Notice: Basement And Ground Floor, 2 Pembridge Road

The sub-committee was scheduled to consider an objection to a temporary event notice (TEN) submitted by Mr Amod Wadhi for the premises at Basement And Ground Floor, 2 Pembridge Road, London, W11 3HL in Pembridge Ward.

Mr Amod Wadhi had submitted a TEN for Sunday 24 August and Monday 25 August 2025, to provide the sale by retail of alcohol off the premises during Notting Hill Carnival 2025. The maximum number of people to be permitted at any one time was specified as 12.

PC Jinelle Caldinez objected to the TEN on behalf of the Metropolitan Police, stating that allowing the premises to be used in accordance with the notice would undermine the licensing objectives of the prevention of crime and disorder and public safety.

PC Jinelle Caldinez raised concerns regarding the location of the premises, a retail shop selling phone accessories and vapes, near the egress to Notting Hill Carnival and close to Notting Hill Gate tube station. The narrow entrance of the premises was believed to have the potential to contribute to crowd density in the area as people make their way to and from the underground station.

A witness statement from Chief Inspector Will Holland was included as part of PC Jinelle Caldinez's objection, highlighting the concerns of having a TEN in close proximity to Notting Hill Underground station during Carnival.

The Metropolitan Police believed that overcrowding in the area could lead to higher crime, such as pickpocketing, theft, and sexual assaults, and increase tensions within the crowds, potentially resulting in assaults and large-scale disorder. Concerns were also raised that queues in the area could limit the space for people to move, leading to a bottle neck situation and/or heavy congestion.

PC Jinelle Caldinez noted that selling alcohol is not Mr Wadhi's usual business, and raised concerns about his level of experience in selling alcohol. The police stated that no plan or risk assessment had been provided to evidence how the above concerns would be managed, and that Mr Wadhi had not followed clauses 25.4 and 25.5 of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea's Licensing Policy. Clause 25.4 advises applicants for new premises licences, variations to existing premises licences, and TENs to demonstrate in their applications how their proposed activity would:

(i) Support the licensing objectives with regard to the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, prevention of public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm

(ii) not have an adverse impact on the existing high demands that the emergency services are under over the Carnival period.

Clause 25.5 states that the Licensing Authority expects that applicants will include in their applications the following:

(i) How they have worked with the council's events team to ensure that there will be adequate toilet facilities (temporary or otherwise) within close proximity that are available for their patrons, where the premises licence application or TEN includes the on-sale of alcohol.

(ii) Details of how they will control the numbers of people at their venue, this is particularly applicable to TENs notifications.

(iii) Details of the stewarding and security arrangements and other crowd control measures that they plan to provide for their event.

(iv) Draft risk assessments and a draft management plan, unless arrangements are already in place with the Metropolitan Police and the Council.

PC Jinelle Caldinez also stated that there was no evidence that Mr Wadhi had obtained a street trading licence under the London Local Authorities Act 1990¹. The Council's policy is 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.

The report pack included extracts from the council's statement of licensing policy, 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.