The Kensington and Chelsea Licensing Committee met to discuss and note the proposed revisions to the council's statement of licensing policy 2026-2031, which is required under the Licensing Act 2003. The committee reviewed feedback from a public consultation and considered amendments to the policy. The updated policy will be presented to the Leadership Team and then to the Full Council for adoption.

Here's a breakdown of the key discussion points:

Statement of Licensing Policy 2026-2031

The main item under discussion was the review of the council's statement of licensing policy, which must be maintained and reviewed every five years according to the Licensing Act 2003. The last policy was published on 11 January 2021 and will expire on 10 January 2026.

The proposed statement of licensing policy 2026-2031 aims to balance the interests of the borough's hospitality and night-time economies with those of local residents. Key revisions prior to the consultation included compliance with the February 2025 Secretary of State's Guidance, updated online resources, minor language edits and refreshed contact information.

A 12-week consultation on the draft policy was conducted, and over 70 responses were received, mainly from residents and residents' groups. The feedback touched on the general approach, area-specific concerns, the licensing process and discrete issues relevant to the licensing process.

Key points raised during the committee discussion:

• Geographic areas for redevelopment: Councillors discussed a section in the draft policy that named South High Street Kensington, Notting Hill Gate, and Portobello Road as areas that could benefit from redevelopment. Concerns were raised that the term redevelopment was unclear. Following the consultation, these areas were removed from the policy. Councillor Dori Schmetterling suggested that Earl's Court should also be included, given developments in the area.
• Hampton Principles: Councillor Preety Hudd asked for background information on the Hampton Principles, which are mentioned on page 2 of the statement of licensing policy 2026-2031. The Hampton Principles are a set of guidelines for better regulation of businesses.
• Hotel policy: Councillor Dori Schmetterling raised concerns about defining on-sales and off-sales of alcohol in hotels, particularly regarding mini-bars and guests staying after hours. It was clarified that licensing depends on what the applicant is applying for, and each case is different. The committee agreed to add a sentence clarifying that mini-bars need to be licensed for off-sales.
• Cumulative impact: Concerns were raised about the impact of late-night establishments on residents, particularly in Earl's Court Road. It was argued that residents are changing their behaviour due to feeling unsafe at night. However, officers stated that there was insufficient evidence from the police and noise teams to support a cumulative impact policy[^2]. [^2]: A cumulative impact policy (CIP) is a special policy that can be introduced when there is evidence that the number of licensed premises in an area is causing problems such as crime, disorder or public nuisance.
• A-boards: A councillor noted that the policy did not address A-boards[^3] obstructing pavements. It was clarified that A-boards fall under pavement licensing, which is covered by a separate policy. [^3]: A-boards are advertising boards, often in an A-shape, that businesses place on the pavement outside their premises.
• Inconsistency: A councillor raised concerns about inconsistencies in licensing hours for businesses on the same street, saying that it was not always considerate to residents. Officers clarified that each application is assessed on a case-by-case basis, based on its own merits and that licences can be reviewed if there are specific reasons related to the licensing objectives.
• Cooking food: A councillor asked if air fryers were covered by the policy, which mentions microwaves. Officers confirmed that the list was not exhaustive and that air fryers would be included as an example.
• Delivery drivers: A councillor asked if the policy was robust enough regarding delivery drivers. Officers said that businesses are responsible for ensuring delivery drivers behave well, but that sometimes drivers gather and are not even going to those premises.
• Notting Hill Carnival: Councillor Janet Evans praised the licensing committee for their work on the Notting Hill Carnival, saying that it was one of the safest carnivals ever due to the committee rejecting applications. She suggested that for future cases, it would be helpful to have a hotspot map of crime in relation to the premises.

Other discussion points

• Minutes from 13 February 2025: The minutes from the previous meeting were approved with minor corrections to spelling and grammar.
• 72 seconds of silence: The committee observed 72 seconds of silence to remember those who lost their lives in the Grenfell tragedy.
• Pavement licence and summertime service: Officers clarified the difference between pavement licences and summertime service. Pavement licences are usually adjacent to the building on private land, while summertime services are usually in parking bays that have been suspended.
• Hotel policy: Councillor Dori Schmetterling wanted to discuss the hotel policy, specifically the definition of on-sales and off-sales.
• Welfare and vulnerability: A councillor welcomed the extra paragraphs on welfare and vulnerability, and also on modern slavery.
• Acronyms: A councillor requested that all acronyms be spelled out in the document.