This meeting of the Licensing Sub-Committee was scheduled to consider a notice given by Ms Barbara Pierre to hold a temporary licensable event at Flat 3, 38 Powis Square, London, W11 2AY. The sub-committee was notified of objections to the notice from the Metropolitan Police and the Environmental Health Department. The Licensing Sub-Committee was to determine whether to issue a counter notice, take no action, or impose conditions.

Objection to Temporary Event Notice: Flat 3, 38 Powis Square

The sub-committee was scheduled to consider a report by the Director of Highway and Regulatory Services regarding a Temporary Event Notice submitted by Ms Barbara Pierre for Flat 3, 38 Powis Square. Ms Pierre had applied for permission to sell alcohol on and off the premises between midday and 7pm on both Sunday 24 August and Monday 25 August 2025, during Notting Hill Carnival 2025. The maximum number of people allowed at any one time was proposed as four.

PC Jinelle Caldinez, on behalf of the Metropolitan Police, had objected to the notice on the grounds of prevention of crime and disorder and public safety. PC Caldinez raised concerns about overcrowding and crowd safety at Notting Hill Carnival, stating that the sale of alcohol from the flat, located between multiple official sound systems, would attract crowds, cause pinch points, and obstruct pedestrian flow, increasing the risk of crime and disorder and potentially blocking emergency access.

PC Caldinez explains that Notting Hill Carnival is a large, high-risk event planned in detail to prevent overcrowding and manage crowd safety. She raises concerns that selling alcohol from Flat 3, 38 Powis Square, located between multiple official sound systems, would attract crowds, cause pinch points, and obstruct pedestrian flow, thereby increasing the risk of crime and disorder and potentially blocking emergency access.

PC Caldinez noted that Ms Pierre had not provided a risk assessment or event management plan, which the police considered to be a breach of Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC)'s licensing policy. She also noted that selling alcohol into the public highway requires a street trading licence, which RBKC does not grant for alcohol sales during the carnival, and that any unauthorised street trading would constitute a criminal offence.

Mr Philip Richardson, a Principal Environmental Health Officer for RBKC Environmental Health Noise and Nuisance, had objected on the grounds of public safety and prevention of public nuisance. Mr Richardson stated that the proposed alcohol sales would take place in a very congested part of the carnival footprint, close to the Disco Hustlers sound system, and that the TEN would draw and hold people at the location, worsening congestion and impeding crowd movement. He also noted the lack of a risk assessment or event management plan, and evidence of a street trading licence.

The sub-committee was reminded that under the Licensing Act 2003, it must consider the licensing objectives¹ 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 informed that it must consider the objection notices from the relevant persons and take such steps as it considers necessary for the promotion of the licensing objectives. The available steps were to:

• 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 sub-committee was provided with 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.