The Licensing Sub-Committee of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea met on Tuesday 4 August 2026 to consider a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) for the sale of alcohol. The committee decided to issue a counter notice, effectively refusing the TEN, due to concerns about public safety and the prevention of crime and disorder.

Temporary Event Notice Refused for Forecourt at Gadsden House

The Licensing Sub-Committee decided to issue a counter notice under section 105 of the Licensing Act 2003, refusing the Temporary Event Notice (TEN) submitted by Mr Marlon Bryan for the sale of alcohol off the premises at the forecourt of Flat 4, Gadsden House, Hazlewood Crescent, London, W10 5DX. The event was planned for Sunday 30 and Monday 31 August 2026, during Notting Hill Carnival, with a proposed maximum capacity of 30 people.

The decision was made after considering objections from the Metropolitan Police and Environmental Health. Both authorities raised concerns that allowing the TEN would undermine the licensing objectives of preventing crime and disorder and ensuring public safety.

The Police highlighted that the premises' location was in close proximity to the parade route and four sound systems, which would lead to heavy pedestrian traffic, congestion, and potential difficulties for emergency vehicle access. They argued that the applicant had not adequately demonstrated how they would manage crowd and queue control, staffing, or security, and that a risk assessment had not been provided. PC Mark Perry, representing the Police, stated that there was no way to address the Police's concerns to make this TEN 'safe'. ¹

Environmental Health echoed these concerns, particularly regarding public safety, noting the proximity to sound systems and the potential for the TEN to exacerbate existing congestion. Mr Philip Richardson, representing Environmental Health, supported the Police's objections.

Mr Bryan, the Premises User, argued that he had a good track record of operating at Notting Hill Carnival in previous years without complaint. He stated that he was an SIA-accredited supervisor with experience in crowd control and that the sound systems near his proposed location were smaller than others, and the parade route was at the end of the road. He also mentioned that the pavement was wide and that hoarding was usually erected around the block of flats during Carnival. He felt he was facing blanket objections from the Police and Environmental Health this year.

However, the Committee placed significant weight on the objections from the Police and Environmental Health, noting that paragraph 32.13 of the Council's Statement of Licensing Policy² states that the Licensing Authority will consider the importance of evidence provided by these bodies when determining contested applications. The Committee concluded that the location was not acceptable due to the high risk of crowd crushes, pinch points, and impeded access for emergency services, and therefore it was appropriate to issue a counter notice to promote the licensing objectives.