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<\/p>\nKensington businesses say the preparations are worth it for a day celebrating Caribbean culture<\/p>\n
Favaz K, who works at a DIY store, said that the Carnival period is good for the business(Image: Facundo Arrizabalaga)<\/p>\n
Each year, a parade of people dressed in brightly-coloured outfits makes it way through the streets of Notting Hill. Crowds of Londoners from all backgrounds spend their weekend bobbing between different Sound Systems,<\/a> listening to everything from steel bands to Latin rave music.<\/p>\n Wafts of Trinidadian Roti and Guyanese Pepper Pots fill the air. But the aromas of a jerk pit are what organisers have self-proclaimed to be “the scent of Notting Hill Carnival<\/a>“.<\/p>\n Born in 1966, Carnival was, and is, a celebration of Black culture and an act of resistance towards rampant racism against West London’s Windrush Generation.<\/a> By the 1970s, Caribbean masquerade traditions had formed the basis of the fantastical costumes many now associate with the street party.<\/p>\n Dancers attend the Notting Hill Carnival in West London(Image: Facundo Arrizabalaga)<\/p>\n Notting Hill is the world’s second largest street carnival in the world, second only to Rio de Janeiro. With two million people attending each year, Notting Hill Carnival<\/a> Limited, Kensington and Chelsea Council<\/a> and local homes and businesses have a lot of preparation to do to make sure things go smoothly.<\/p>\n Jorge Costa, who works at a clothes store in Notting Hill, said that the business spends around \u00a31,000 a year on locking up and remaining closed during Carnival celebrations.<\/p>\n He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service<\/a> (LDRS) that if they did not put up wooden boards people would most likely smash in their windows.<\/p>\n “I think having a lot of people together with, like I said, alcohol and drugs, of course, [things are] going to escalate. But I I wouldn’t say to finish the carnival because I also think like we need time to be together,” he said.<\/p>\n Jorge Costa said that it was important for people to have time to celebrate their culture(Image: Facundo Arrizabalaga)<\/p>\n Mr Costa said that it was important for people to have time to celebrate their culture, comparing the minority of disruptive behaviour at Carnival to that at football games.<\/p>\n “Business is not everything in life. People need to celebrate. People need to get together and, you know, maybe forget about business for a few days,” he added.<\/p>\n Shop owner Zia Sidiki told the LDRS that most years Carnival celebration leaves his jewellery business with some broken windows or doors, pointing to cracked glass panel following last year’s celebrations.<\/p>\n “I don’t blame them because there’s a lot of people as well. It’s not that everyone is coming here for trouble. So, there’s a lot of good people as well coming for fun to see what’s going on,” he said.<\/p>\n Mr Sidiki said people need to be kept safe and able to celebrate their cultural traditions (Image: Facundo Arrizabalaga)<\/p>\n Mr Sidiki said that most important thing is to make sure people are safe while they celebrate their cultural traditions.<\/p>\n “It’s their tradition, I don’t mind it. So, I think some people are happy to do it but if they do it in a safe way that’s fine,” he added.<\/p>\n Favaz K, who works at a DIY store, said that the Carnival period is good for business as people buy buckets and boxes from the shop to keep their drinks in.<\/p>\n Carnival-goers will often spray graffiti on the business’ shutters during the celebrations. However, Favaz doesn’t mind this, as the council helps remove any paint.<\/p>\n “It’s about celebration…it’s all about human things, a cultural program. So be kind to the people…just celebrate it. Enjoy your day. That’s what it is, like 3 days…just relax.”<\/p>\n A cracked window at the jewellery shop in Notting Hill(Image: Facundo Arrizabalaga)<\/p>\n Christian Marfe and Mazhar Toutounjee work in a shop which sells vapes, electrical products and fixes watches. Last year, they sold light beers during the Carnival celebrations with no issues.<\/p>\n However, this year Kensington and Chelsea Council has decided not to grant them a licence<\/a> for the celebrations on the grounds that the shop is too close to Notting Hill Gate Tube Station. This is despite Mr Amod Wadhi, who applied for the licence, guaranteeing there would be two SIA-trained staff on the shop’s door.<\/p>\n “We try to set the shop in a different way and we offer soft drinks and assistance to the people that are celebrating. We never had a problem,” said Mr Toutounjee.<\/p>\n “We wouldn’t be selling like huge amounts and obviously, you know, if anybody appears to be intoxicated, we wouldn’t be serving them. We use a lot of common sense. We’re all grown-ups and yeah, [the decision] doesn’t sound fair,” he added.<\/p>\n Christian Marfe and Mazhar Toutounjee work in a shop which sells vapes, electrical products and fixes watches(Image: Facundo Arrizabalaga)<\/p>\n Mr Marfe said that he supports Carnival taking place but that it has become too big.<\/p>\n “I think it’s a lovely thing to happen but it is exaggerated and that’s why it makes it so difficult,” he said.<\/p>\n A spokesperson for Kensington and Chelsea Council said: “Notting Hill Carnival is an important event for our communities and we are extremely proud to host it on our streets.<\/p>\n “Public safety is our top priority, and we work closely with partners year-round to help make sure Carnival is delivered safely. Following a review last year, a number of safety measures have been introduced, including changes to street trading in some areas to support safe crowd movement.<\/p>\n “Applications for Temporary Event Notices (TENs) are considered on their individual merit and there is no automatic entitlement to be granted a TEN based on a successful application in a previous year.”<\/p>\n Notting Hill Carnival 2026<\/p>\n This year Notting Hill Carnival<\/a> will take place between Saturday, August 29 and Monday, August 31.<\/p>\n Family day takes place on the Sunday, while Monday is geared towards adults. Both of these are free to attend. On the Saturday, a ticketed steel band competition will take place.<\/p>\n Got a story? Please get in touch at katherine.gray@reachplc.com<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Dancers](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/gbr\/london\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1_FMA_02192.jpg\")
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<\/p>\n![\"Zia](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/gbr\/london\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/0_FA_2032.jpg\")
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