The Licensing Sub-Committee of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council met on Tuesday 4 August 2026 to consider three Temporary Event Notices (TENs) submitted by Damoy Robertson for Bars 1, 2, and 3 at Acklam Village, Acklam Road, London, W10 5QZ. The notices were for the sale of alcohol on and off the premises between 12:00 and 19:00 on Sunday 30 and Monday 31 August 2026, with a proposed capacity of 499 people per bar. Both the Police and Environmental Health objected to the TENs, citing concerns about the prevention of crime and disorder, and public safety. After considering the evidence and submissions, the Committee decided to issue a Counter Notice for all three TENs, meaning the requested licensable activities were not approved.

Temporary Event Notices for Acklam Village Bars

The Licensing Sub-Committee considered objections from the Police and Environmental Health to Temporary Event Notices (TENs) submitted by Damoy Robertson for three bars within Acklam Village. The notices sought permission to sell alcohol on and off the premises during the Notting Hill Carnival weekend, from 12:00 to 19:00 on Sunday 30 and Monday 31 August 2026, with a maximum capacity of 499 people for each bar.

The Police, represented by Chief Inspector Dominic Nye and PC Mark Perry, objected on the grounds that the event would undermine the licensing objectives of preventing crime and disorder and ensuring public safety. Their concerns centred on the proposed layout of trading stalls on both sides of Acklam Walk, which they argued would create a chicane effect and an unacceptable risk of crowd surges and disorder, particularly given the area's high footfall during Carnival. They also highlighted a lack of detailed capacity calculations and a reliance on visual checks for crowd management.

Environmental Health, represented by Kieran McKenna, also objected on the grounds of public safety. Mr McKenna echoed the Police's concerns about the layout, noting that it differed from the previous year's setup, which had been deemed an improvement and had worked well. He raised concerns that the TENs, combined with other potential events in the Acklam Village area, could create a pinch point and that the provided risk assessment and event management plan lacked sufficient detail on capacity calculations, monitoring, emergency evacuation points, and coordination with other planned events.

Mr Damoy Robertson, the Premises User, argued that he had a strong track record of managing events safely at Acklam Village over the past three years without significant incidents. He explained that the change in stall layout was to improve the positioning of electrical cables and that he had implemented various crowd management measures, including SIA-accredited staff, physical barriers, and Heras fencing. He stated that his crowd flow estimates were based on previous Notting Hill Carnival events and that he believed he could safely manage the events. He also pointed out that the photograph used by the Police in their objection was misleading and did not accurately represent the Acklam Village area.

The Committee, chaired by Councillor Gregory Hammond, considered the objections and submissions carefully. They noted the weight given to the representations from the Police and Environmental Health, as outlined in their Statement of Licensing Policy¹. The Committee's concerns included the busy location of the event, the proximity of the three bars, the potential for overcrowding given the combined capacity of the TENs and other nearby events, and the lack of clear plans for managing crowd flow and emergency evacuations. They were particularly concerned about the reliance on visual checks for capacity monitoring and the potential for congestion caused by stalls on both sides of Acklam Walk, which they felt would hinder the free flow of people, especially in light of the Council's own efforts to reduce congestion on Portobello Road.

Ultimately, the Committee concluded that there were too many unanswered questions and a lack of overall coordination and event planning. They determined that allowing the TENs would undermine the licensing objectives of preventing crime and disorder and ensuring public safety. Consequently, they decided to issue a Counter Notice under section 105 of the Licensing Act 2003 for all three TENs, refusing permission for the proposed event.