Making Carnival safer and enjoyable

Cllr Merrick Cockell We want to make the borough a better place in which to live and work. I want to use the Leader’s Say to talk about issues that impact on all of us.

I’m keen to hear your views. Use the comment form to send me your thoughts on the issues raised here.

The close of last year's Notting Hill Carnival was spoiled by some people intent on causing violent trouble. I've seen some of the disturbing CCTV footage that the police have, and there is no place for this criminal behaviour on our streets.

I've been around the organisation of Carnival for many years and am determined that we mustn't let a minority of trouble-makers spoil Carnival. In order to prevent similar scenes to last year we have to look at what we can do to make carnival safer and enjoyable.

All the evidence, over many years, points to the fact that serious and violent crime at Carnival is more likely to occur after dusk. It seems obvious, then, that we have to look at what can be done to make sure that Carnival can finish earlier. To do this we need to ensure that the bands pass the judging point in Great Western Road by 6.30pm. If we can do this it means that the floats have time to get away from Ladbroke Grove before nightfall. In order to make sure this happens we want the bands to bring no more than 125 vehicles round the route this year. And this isn’t something earth-shatteringly new, it is exactly the number of vehicles that came to Carnival in 2005.

There is another factor that we can't shut our eyes to, or perhaps more accurately close our ears to, and that is the issue of noise. Carnival is and always will be a noisy event and that isn't going to change. But when some floats or sound systems are so noisy that the police and other emergency services can't hear instructions in their ear-pieces then we have a problem.

And there are other considerations that just can't be ignored. To exist at all, Carnival must have certain people in and around the route – as well as the police, ambulance and fire brigade staff there are council staff, stewards and others employed by the Carnival organisers, people employed by stall-holders and probably many more. The fact is that all employers, however large or small, have to make sure that their staff are protected from damage to their ears by excessive noise. There is another group I haven't mentioned so far; carnivalists and spectators, particularly children whose hearing is particularly at risk. Many of them spend the whole day behind a sound system and deserve to be able to take part safely.

So we are saying that the peak noise level should not exceed 135 decibels, which is by no means quiet. If people insist on persistently breaking this limit then they will not be able to take part in future carnivals.

Before anyone thinks that anyone is being a killjoy, a peak of 135 decibels is very loud indeed – standing next to a pneumatic drill is 110 decibels.

I know that there are some people in the Carnival community who are opposed to an earlier start and close down and turning the volume down. But I also know there are many who do not find these ideas unacceptable and are just as anxious as I am that Carnival should be a fun event and that we must do what we can to thwart people who are intent on spoiling it. The truth is that if Carnival is to thrive and find its way to a more secure financial footing then it, like other organisations and events, has to evolve.

What do you think?

I’ve made my views known, do you agree with them? Let me know what you think.

Merrick Cockell - Leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council

Comments sent in
45. On 15 September Bill wrote: I am a resident of a basemement flat on Ladbroke Grove, for 10 years now. I accept the 2 days a year of noise and disruption. What I cannot accept is the litter outside my property. If the carnival is to remain a street party, the authorities need to ensure that local residents properties are promptly and properly cleaned of rubbish, urine etc from the carnival. Currently basement cleaning is on request, often days late, and done in a careless manner.
44. On 2 September Johns wrote: I know this thread is old but I have to comment.I can't understand why people keep saying move it to Hyde Park. Its a street carnival and it should happen on a street. Using the argument about police not being able to hear through the noise is rubbish because the people who are standing by the sound system are dancing and not causing trouble. Apart from the regular drug takers(which you find everywhere in clubs, in restaurant loos etc) the other people causing trouble are big gangs of boys who are rowdy and push people as they walk along.It's easy to spot them. They also tend to hang around by the gangster rap places. Also the police have really good informants and know who half the people will be anyway. I think its terrible that people do not respect private property and pee in people's gardens etc and I think the council should focus more on that than trying to kill off the carnival with these ridiculous new rules.
43. On 31 August Mike wrote: I have been stranded here during the carnival, subjected to the noise from three sound systems within less than 50 yards, and with a group of young men urinating in my basement - and this in a street where portaloos are provided. The noise, the disruption, the sense of being a prisoner in one's own home (groups of people have been sitting on the steps, drinking, and the police show no interest), all combine to make me wonder whether the council has the interest of its residents at heart. The carnival is now an international event, and should be moved to a non-residential area so that people can live their normal lives.
42. On 30 August Oliver wrote: I live on Ladbroke, and I am absolutely sick of the noise, mess, and violence that comes with the Notting Hill Carnival every year. My windows have been shaking all day from the ridiculously loud speakers and subwoofers. The front of my home is covered with rubbish and empty beer bottles. Why do we need to put up with this?? Why do residents have to deal with this nightmare each and every year? Move it to a park or somewhere else more suitable for large crowds!!!
41. On 30 August Jennifer wrote: Carnival has simply gotten out of hand. Every year it is louder and more out of control. The noise limits that have been set are firstly a joke as 135db is completely unhealthy and, as a resident of Ladbroke Grove, I can tell you are completely ignored by the soundsystems. The council isn't controlling this event so it is time it was either moved or RBKC took proper responsibility. Lastly a truck loaded with speakers is not a "float". That would require some thought and creativity.
40. On 29 August Adam wrote: I am a white, middle class resident who lives on the route. Complainers should take a long, hard look at themselves and ask why they live here. They like the multiculturalism (when it suits them), they like the trendiness (when it suits them), they like the worldwie recognition (etc....) Carnival is the soul of the area. It makes me proud to be a Londoner and a K&C resident. If you hate it so much, please go live in Wandsworth/Clapham.
39. On 10 August Len wrote: I am from the local Caribbean community and to be honest I do not look forward to going to the carnival as I did when I was younger (its an age thing!). In my opinion your proposal to close earlier is wrong. What you have here is on one side a vocal residents group who are unable to enjoy their properties as they would wish for 2 days of each year and are understandably upset by litter and soiling of their properties by the people who attend. On the other side you have the million or so people who attend each of the days who are not aware of this post and being generally young are unlikely to respond in any case. Hence you gain a winning majority easily. RBKC should be honest and make the decision whether they want the carnival or not. If you don't want a world renown and unique landmark event, stop it now and don't faff about. If you reduce the hours this year, there is nothing to stop you from reducing them the next year and the year after that until the soul has been 100% ripped out of the event. From a participant's point of view the best carnival years were when you had later finishes and places to go afterwards (run-off events, if you like). The music is loud and can be disturbing particularly if you don't like the style of music (maybe a Tchaikovsky or Frank Sinatra sound system might help!) but I have never seen anyone knocked senseless by noise, not even our policemen. The urine problem can be alleviated by more portable toilets, each year the same number of toilets seem to be provided and each year the number seems to be inadequate. The Carnival is something special, and when it is gone it will be gone forever, you won't be able to change your mind. It has helped to make Notting Hill known around the world in the same way as the Rio Carnival has raised the profile of Brazil. We should be supporting its growth not trying to stunt it. Would the attitudes be the same if the Carnival was derived from an ancient Norman festival?
38. On 9 August Bafana wrote: have you all forgotten the fight for recognition. gone are the days when that area when they used to say no blcks , no irish no dogs in the houses and area. blackman fought for that freedom and by all means we need to be able to enjoy it without worry of being told when to stop enjoying ourselves or hearded into a pen and contained in hyde park. canirval is for all . if you leave in the area get out and go to areas that do not have carnival. about the rubbish-- i pay 15000 pounds a year and other monies to the council for that rubbish to be collected. i am now being told that i should sell alcohol in plastic bottles by the council and the police , what nonsense is that . people will still bring weapon into the carnival , buy bottles from outside area and bring them and still use them as weapons.i was hit by the bottles last year but theses black kids were provoked by the police, why dont they let them enjoy themselves than drive them out of the area with button wielding cops who are bent at hitting anything black moving around. once a cop see a black man they sense trouble and gets excited, once a black man see a cop he know there is trouble for him he will not be respected even if he has done nothing wrong. it is tough to be black the canirval being a black origin thing there is bound to be trouble and people finding ways to make it an unpleasant celebration.
37. On 10 August Alice wrote: Having lived metres off the carnival route for the past five years I have really noticed that certain groups of(mainly teenagers)are becoming more aggressive and less respectful. The party doesn't finish at the 'official' times- they go on on through the night with drunken louts screaming in the streets and when you politely ask them to try and be quieter you get threats of physical violence and verbal abuse! Whilst I agree that I knew about carnival when I moved to the area (I've lived in K&C my entire life) it can become too much and saying that residents should pay to leave the area is just beyond belief! Especially as a friend of mine who lives on Portobello Road did just that three years ago and returned to find his house had been broken into, a party held with spilt drink, broken glasses and mess and his booze cabinet dry! Moving it to Hyde Park is no more practical- people do live around there too- my parents live just off Park Lane and as many people and traffic will be inconvienienced! However, it is not the inconvienience that matters- it's great to get into the spirit of things- but people must be more respectful of the fact that real people live there who need to go to work on Tuesday and put their children to sleep...
36. On 7 August Fi wrote: I have lived at the centre of the carnival for 20 years as have my parents. There is no doubt it has got bigger and noisier. I'm all for fun, the spirit of the carnival and celebration. But this must now be balanced by the problems. Non-residents do not understand the problems of gross littering, the digust at finding your front garden used as a toilet, the vandalism, the theft and returning home worried about what you will find this year, being unable to return home without problems for 2 days, feeling unsafe, watching the shops barricading and boarding up their windows, the all night parties etc... Notting Hill is not the place for this international event; the streets are small, the community is badly affected and it is extremely costly in terms of policing, the effect on small shops & of clearing up. Limiting the carnival time and putting a noise limit in is a step in the right direction but it does not address the fundamental issues. It is time the carnival was moved elsewhere- the suggestion of Hyde Park seems sensible and well thought out. Please listen to the Residents.
35. On 6 August Akinpelu wrote: Think about what made the area fashionable, trendy and cool, think about how much income is generated and business developed, think about how it brings people together in unity, think about the human need to express ourselves and think what else can do this... Yes only carnival can.. Its about time we supported our art and event organizations better to make events a success, equipping them with the correct tools of the trade, partners and budgets to deploy the appropriate staffing and controls. not leaving them in a state of constant insecurity that causes major compromises to thier work and public safety. We need to work harder to ensure the community is involved, empowered and most of all trained all year round to run and manage events. Its about less high vis jackets and uniforms and more involvement of older brothers, sisters, fathers and mothers making the event safe using community policing models to rebuild that respect between reveler, performers and event managers.. remember: 'A people's art is the genesis of their freedom'.
34. On 31 July Magus wrote: Every person in every flat in my house leaves London during the Carnival. So can I, if I want to spend hundreds of £££. Instead, I stay inside for more than 48 hours. I hate it. Whatever the Carnival meant 50 years ago, it is no longer a celebration of the Jamaican community; rather, it is a continuous tug-of-war between the police and the troublemakers, of whom there are plenty. A friend of mine was urt by a flying bottle last year. Move the whole thing offshore--to an abandoned oil rig or a deserted island,
33. On 30 July Terry wrote: Isn't 135 decibels above the maximum permissable levels? Surely something that is unacceptable on a Health and safety basis should not be endorsed as acceptable by the Leader of the council? Also I believe you should move carnival to Hyde Park before there is a major incident. That many people in narrow residential streets is inviting a calamity.
32. On 29 July Teresa wrote: so the yuppies have arrived and had such want to continue to take over the area with their snobbish, higher than mighty standards. They will probaly be happy when we've removed everybody not deemed to be equal to their white, middle class views. Get a life and lets celebrate the diversity and remove the underlying negativity and racism.....easy to remove the bigots to Hyde Park....
31. On 27 July Andrea wrote: I love living in this area every day except August BHol w/e;the residents(me included)feel under siege as we are trapped in our houses and cannot use our cars;all shops/amenities are shut & even boarded up until Tuesday/Wed;Why should we have to leave our home for the w/e? The roads in this area are far too samll for an influx of 1,000,000 revellers and few hundred bands/participants;I will be writing to Mayor Boris to move this carnival to a more suitable area which will make people's enjoyment greater and be much easier to police.
30. On 23 July Elaine wrote: Let us not forget why the carnival was born. It's a tradition that goes back decades that remembers and marks what new comers to the UK endured. As time has gone on, this has become forgotten and lost. we need to educate our youngsters about history so they can see what a celebration this event truly is, to secure its longevity. Rather than dictate we need to educate!
29. On 21 July Megan wrote: There obviously has to be a comprimise here- residents dont deserve to have urine at their front doors and damage to their property. And the fact that most people are going to work following this makes me believe that an earlier closing time would really be warrented on the Sunday- and opening the tubes would help alot with the 'trapped' situation that you get at the end of the day when you just want to leave. I dont think the carnival is a place for children anyway (I am sometimes amazed at how there are babies in prams right next to a subwoofer!)and dont think babies/ small children should be alowed. I am all for freedom of expression but not at the cost of health and saftey of people/ naiboughs. 24hours is much better as there would me more time after for cleaning/ and for people to exit. Also if residents dont want to be around for the carnival they can just go away for a day.
28. On 19 July M. Perry wrote: I dont live in w.london but always attend the carnival. Firstly what is 2days in a whole year, it is a celebration for rights and freedom!! 7pm is a joke every one wants to carry on enjoying them selves but then have roudy police telling them to move on. I dont agree with any trouble makers but alot of that is because of the police and their actions. As for the mess people are complaning about, be real its gone within 4days max. People are really making out that these 2days out THE WHOLE YEAR destroy their lives. Its terrible.
27. On 12 July John wrote: I say these people should take there stupid and disgusting carnival to hyde park as it is obvious it is not wanted but theres nothing we could do but to move it.
26. On 6 July Liz wrote: I've lived in Ladbroke Grove for 50 years. I can take or leave Carnival. But it has got louder and bigger the last 20 odd years. It's the noise and mess that the people leave behind that bothers me. And how can people say don't move into the area if you don't like Carnival? People have a right to live where they choose to. Can these people not live here for the other 363 days of the year? Why should the residents put up with all the noise and mess every year? What about every other year?
25. On 2 July J wrote: I also live at the centre of the Carnival route, and dread its return each year. That said, I knew about it when I moved to the area and respect the views of those people who contribute to it and get enjoyment out of it. But, the Council and the police must take measures to prevent the recurrence of the violence and property damage experienced last year, which I witnessed first hand. Many visitors appear use the Carnival as an excuse for some seriously anti-social behaviour. The fact that most residents end up barricading their homes for fear of people damaging their property and or using them as an open air toilet, reveals that more must be done the manage and control the crowds. It seems that the council and the police are never quite prepared for the crowd numbers that descend on the area each year. Surely, it would be easier to control the crowds in a vast, open space such a Hyde Park?
24. On 1 July Jo wrote: I live in the very middle of the Notting Hill Carnival and as a resident i think its absoulutely disgusting when we have to leave our home for the Bank Holiday weekend because we dont feel safe in our own area, just so they can have the Carnival!! Why cant it be put in Hyde Park away from everybody, instead of us feeling threatened if we step outside our own front door. Theres too much violence and people are saying they are going to stop the Carnival, why dont they just stop talking about it and just stop it altogether. At least the residents would feel safer or doesnt that matter anymore?????
23. On 29 June Cliff wrote: I have been attending the carnival nearly every year for the past 26 years, i have never had any trouble there and enjoyed my time, the only problem i find is at 7.30pm when the carnival is winding down it is hard to leave the area as most of the tube stations are closed, a good idea i think would be to open more tube stations when the carnival is finishing to allow people to leave the area more easier, as i have noticed at this time a lot of people start to loose there cool when they feel trapped in the area and can't get out.
22. On 24 June Laura wrote: I believe its time that carnival was moved or reduced drastically its ok for people to say dont live in the area if you dont like the carnival ,well ive lived here when the carnival was fun but now all it is is meancing people are scared to leave their homes for the entire two days that is from late saturday night to early monday morning all carnival is now drunkardness ,have you all seen it my door every year gets used as a toilet and its not respectable sober people its drunks and when you lok and all the vendors who sell alcohol legally or illegally there are hundreds of them and year after year its still the same so nowonder there are fights and injuries then youve got the drug dealers who quite openly sell to all and sundry kids .no problem and all and year after year they get away with it because the police are too scared to confront them. im not wrong then ytouve got the ones that gi alng just for the gheck of it to make trouble ,if someone thinks you look at them the wrong way god help you.i have never once been able to take my grandaughter out once on carnival with feeling intimidated, i could go on and on so carnival who needs it.
21. On 22 June Stephen wrote: I offer my unqualified support for greater controls over the 2 days. It does seem that Bank Holiday Monday is when trouble always seems to occur. I strongly urge the police to maintain a visibly strong presence at all times down approach roads off Ladbroke Grove (including Oxford Gardens) especially when the public are leaving the carnival. Last year's violence in Ladbroke Grove and also on my road was totally unacceptable.
20. On 22 June Sally wrote: I have lived in Ladbroke Grove, not through choice, for 25 years. Whereas The Carnival was fun to experience once, now for me and fellow residents its imminence is a nightmare we dread. I feel hemmed in for two days. The noise is horrendous, especially the sound systems. Busses are rerouted so I cannot escape unless I go out first thing in the morning and return late. I don't have friends to visit in London so I wander round aimlessly. Most years I go one step further and leave London which incurs financial outlay which I can do without. A couple or so years ago there was a suggestion put forward that the event was moved to Hyde Park. In my pinion that's where it should be held. I'm glad that the Council is taking at least these measures but I feel they don't go far enough in my opinion.
19. On 16 June Kay wrote: This is so sad. I was born and grew up in the area of allsaints road and surrounding. Like much of this community it is becoming non exsitant. Break the communities, break people's spirits. Those of you who have just moved into this area when I say just moved Im talking about those people who have been living in the area for less than 20 years, those of you who only came here to live because of the NottingHill film. Do you know about the riots, the struggle we have had to deal with and now you want to take away the carnival. It use to be 24hrs, it use to be free, but it is not it is about profit and how to cut back so that it is no longer a Caribbean celebration but a british festival that has so many rules that eventually becomes pointless. Give us back our carnival, give us back the freedom. Why did you move here if you dont like the event. I dont get as excited as I use to because you have taken to much away from the people. It was meant to be about expression and now it feels so controlled, you cant sell food or drink with out a licence the whole point of this was so that people could have a choice, take a rick eat something at the carnival or not. Either way, you want it to fail so that you can have a reason to end it and blame it on the youth who you prevoke and anger.
18. On 16 June Emily wrote: I totally agree with your blog. As a resident of Kensington and Chelsea I hear stories every year about violent attacks at the Carnival, as well as a lot of littering, and hopefully finishing at an earlier time will lower this issue. People visiting from outside the borough do not seem to understand that because of their selfish actions of dropping litter, many workers have to continue working into the night cleaning up after them.
17. On 15 June Mary wrote: I support carnival and it's continuation in our streets for years to come. I think the trouble at the end of last year was very slight and not well managed. there need to be more community mediators and stewards at the event and it needs to be less controlled by a large police presence. I understand why some residents do not enjoy carnival but I have seen it grow since 1974 and it is a major acheivement for us all. I believe it belongs in the streets and should be here for the children of all communities to enjoy for at least the next 50 years.
16. On 7 June Geri wrote: I have lived in ladbroke grove all my life, and as im coming on to 48yrs, I dont really go to carnival. but I do believe that the council just want to make a profit out of it,becuse before the council had any thing to do with it carnival was fun. now its got to much input from people who dont know about culture, and comunity spirit. since the council got invoved, its about hiring stalls and having license, for this and that. I can understand people need inspectors to check the food for hygene. but some poeple would like to party into the next day they should have a couple of places for people to go. but now becuas of noise polution clubs or partys have to finish at 2-3oclocke. I think the council and police are being a bit to stiff they need to chill. and go with the flow.
15. On 4 June Helen wrote: If the decible level of a pneumatic drill is 110 decibels, how can the proposed 135 decibels noise limit be acceptable and not damaged anyone's hearing?
14. On 4 June Maria wrote: I am from the carnival area and have lived here for more than 25 years. I totally agree that your priority is the safety of the public and that the noise should be at a certain level. As a resident I have in the past taken a keen interest in carnival but over the past few years have noticed an increase in violence and choose not to attend any more and prefer to get right out of the area at this time. I also think the carnival should be moved to Hyde Park where it can be policed adequately and reduce the noise nuisance. I find that the majority of carnival people are not from this area and have no respect for residents - they trash the area and leave to go back to their dwellings whereas us residents can't get in and out of the area; have to deal with the unpleasant smell and disgusting mess left by carnival - it sometimes takes days for the area to return to its former cleanliness. I have had people use my front garden as a urinary; empty cans, bottles etc thrown into my garden; drug dealers and alcoholics in our children's park. It has become an unpleasant experience and I think the council should pay us residents to have our area used in this way. We should be able to enjoy the bank holiday like everyone else in the country but I have to spend a vast amount of money to ship my family out of the area for the entire weekend. As much as I support the riots and my parents were very active in the riots I still would rather it be moved to a more congenial position.
13. On 2 June Mr D. wrote: Firstly, let us address the issue of the so called riots. Media coverage and official opinion seems to suggest that this incident was caused by 'people intent on causing violent trouble'. However, as a member of the local community, Im well aware that the 'incident' was caused by police intimidation more than anything else. I have come accross may individuals who were either intimidated by the police at seperate incidents or who witnessed the actual events leading up to the riots. I myself was dealt with in a harsh way by police when I simply approached them with a general inquiry. The fact is that the Police used at Notting Hill are not local and thus are not familiar with the local community. They tend to use intimidating tactics and their attitude, sly comments, approach etc seem to suggest that they have a low opinion of the local community. As a passionate Notting Hill Carnival resident, my fear is that the response to the riots have taken none of this into account, thus the powers that be seem oblivious to this problem. As far as the 'trouble makers' are concerned, I feel that they are easily identifyable. They tend to be in very large groups and exhibit body language which speaks for itself. The undeniable fact is that the vast majority of people who attend the Carnival are there to enjoy themselves. As an active masquerader myself, the general feeling is that the true essence of culture is slowly being lost as a result of all this excessive controls slowly being introduced.
12. On 2 June Kris wrote: Hi, good post. I have been wondering about this issue,so thanks for posting. I’ll definitely be coming back to your site.
11. On 29 May Rima wrote: You say that we mustn't let a minority of trouble makers ruin Carnival and yet ironically you are doing just that. You are giving into them! It doesn't make sense to cut it off even earlier than it is now because a lot of people will feel unsatisfied and het up, and I don't mean trouble makers, but ordinary people who want to continue to enjoy themselves. Carnival already finishes early! If anything it should go on later so that people leave when they are ready and with smiles on their faces, not when they are told that 'Time's Up'. The majority of people will choose to leave early anyway but you can't have everybody being shunted off at the same time. It's asking for trouble. If you really had been involved in Carnival for many years you would know that tightening the noose on it does nothing but aggravate the situation with regards to trouble makers. Remember the late eighties when they stopped it early...the trouble was far worse than what happened last year. A positive change since then is that the police have been doing a better job in recent years and have made progress in dealing with the crowds. This new move that you are proposing seems like a backward approach to a problem that is not even specific to Carnival. From what I understand, last year would have been a lot worse if it weren't for information being given to the police about large groups of youths from different areas intent on coming with their own agendas. Subsequently the police stopped many from coming. Stopping Carnival a bit earlier is not a deterrent for this sort of problem. As for the decibels, well, people who live around here know exactly what to expect. It's a fact of the area. I don't always feel like being around at Carnival but I fully support it's existence. And for people who have just moved in, well, if they want to live in the famous Notting Hill they should respect its essence. As of the opinion given by someone above about moving the Carnival to Hyde Park, sorry but that ain't a Carnival anymore. As said by someone else above, a true Carnival happens on the streets. Lastly, I would disagree that the streets stink on the Tuesday, I think the council have done a great job recently of cleaning them up in a short space of time. When I go to work on the Tuesday morning the only real mess I see is in people's front gardens. Please don’t restrict the Carnival anymore!
10. On 28 May Karon wrote: I was born and have lived my whole life in the carnival area, your suggestions are clearly an attempt to destroy the carnival. You want to make as unappealing as possible so not enough people attend to make it viable. You try to scare people into not coming. In my 44 years I have watched your council and police chip away at it. I remember when carnival went 48 hours round the clock. I remember when all the related competitons were held in the area for the community, I dont think you appreciate exactly how special the carnival is to the area. I know you will do what pleases the people that dont want it 'in their back yard, its just a shame that my grandchildren won't be able to enjoy the spirit of carnival the way i did. Young people resent the interference and that is why they behave the way they do.
9. On 26 May Nigel wrote: We are very pleased to be leaving Notting Hill before the carnival. In this day and age residents deserve better than the level of disruption carnival causes to their daily lives. All carnival events have a 'used by' date stamp on them, it is time for this carnival to relocate to Hydepark where it can be both better contained and better policed.
8. On 26 May Katerina from Bonn wrote - The carnival is THE event that I look forward to every year, and I will not miss it for anything - despite moving to Germany. The event has emerged as a national and international attraction - and with it, brings money to the city for weekend breakers. So for those living in the area like Sofie, that seams really unfair, and I wonder whether the protection barriers should be provided by the council, or by the carnival organisers instead? That would be quite an expense, so I would suggest forward planning and fundraising. Don’t turn the music down – for the stationary sound systems. In my experience, they are really good at working with the emergency services and turn the music down in the case of an event. Not so familiar with the mobile floats to comment there. Regarding noise being a health hazard for children, everyone who’s been to the carnival knows it is loud, so come prepared and think about your kids! For new-timers, there should be a warning on the carnival websites. If anyone would make the effort to sell ear plugs there, they would make a fortune and contribute to a good cause.
7. On 21 May Zanku wrote: The Council has a duty to protect the public’s health and safety so the changes to timing and the noise limitation make sense. I suspect that with better organisation it would be possible for more than 125 floats to finish up by 6.30 so it seems a shame to lose some. While I sympathise with what residents have to put up with, the Carnival has been running for over 40 years and I think it would be a terrible cultural loss if it were to be relocated to Hyde Park. The Carnival emerged as an artistic expression of newly immigrated West Indian communities who were searching for some sense of identity in a foreign city. Notting Hill and the Carnival are inextricably linked! We should also remember that these communities helped to catalyse regeneration in north Kensington and make it what it is today – the Carnival is a wonderful way of celebrating that!
6. On 21 May Sandra wrote: It would be nice if the jugging tent's be moved. I enjoy carnival and i enjoy looking out of my window at it but because of the jugging tent I Can't see a thing this is un just and un fair. for one who love the carnival. so come on please move those tents further down the road please and not out side my windows every year
5. On 21 May Ellen wrote: At the end of the day the residents in and around the areas of ladbroke grove and notting hill know full well about the carnival before they move into there houses, if you have this information prior to moving into the area (which no-one can claim they don't know about) then simply dont move into the area, you have know right to complain. Cutting the carnival off early is a terrible idea; people who come from all over the country and even the world sometimes only come specifically for that monday bank holiday and if you start shutting everything down early then spectators will feel robbed. The violence in our society is a problem whether its at carnival or not and I personally think the police did a great job last year to contain the violence but you can't expect it to just stop all together. Whoever suggested to move the carnival to hyde park obviously doesnt understand the concept of a carnival. A carnival takes place in the STREETS!! If it gets moved to a park then it is no longer a carnival but just a concert in the park. where exactly would you propose the floats go if its in a park? They're on trucks for a reason! what you need to be doing it looking at all the other successful carnival in the world that don't seem to be having these problems (caribana in toronto, labour day in new york, rio, portugal etc) and take notes!
4. On 20 May Miss M wrote: I think it is terrible that people have actully forgotton the whole point of carinval and how it started in the first place. I just fell right now that the reason for the Carinval is being taken over by the same people that casued the riots so many years ago. For the residents that live in Ladbroke it my be a time which they are unable to move around quickly but it is wrong of some saying that after Carinval the streets are left in a poor condition. I work for an Local HA in Ladbroke Grove and can confirm that on the day I returned to work (the day after carvinal) the streets were clear! For the new residents to Ladbroke they do not understand the enviroment where they live and feel they should have done looking into the area they were moving into. And no I do not think carinval should finish earlier than 7pm. as the time has been reduced over the years to 7pm!!! From my years of attending Carinval it is the Police that cause most of the problems in and around carinval!!!!
3. On 20 May Lee wrote: Debbie seems to have forgotten that the Rotterdam carnival finishes on a Saturday night. The Notting Hill carnival finishes on a Monday night when some of the residents have to get up early for work the following day or are trying to return to their homes after being away for the weekend to avoid the people who come into their area year after year, armed to the teeth and intent on causing trouble. Obviously the more trucks there are the later the area will be cleared.
2. On 19 May Sophie wrote: I never stay at home during carnival due to noise and disturbance. The council must realise that for many residents it is unbearable and we take a holiday which is expensive. While I am away, problems always arise protecting the outside of my property. I do a make-shift protection which costs about £300 annually and usually gets torn down. I ought to protect properly which would cost £1500. I am not sure the council realise quite the level of disruption the council causes to residents. After Carnival the streets here stink of rancid cooking oil and the pavements have become permanently stained. I liked the mayor's idea of re-locating in Hyde Park. It is easier to clean up afterwards too.
1. On 15 May Debbie wrote: I agree with the early start and finish and also that there should be a noise limit. What I dont agree with is the withdrawal of trucks. I believe that you should keep the amount of trucks and noise levels for last year. Also the cut off time for floats to remain at 7pm as they do in Rotterdam, regardless of where the floats are.

Comments sent in

45. On 15 September Bill wrote:

I am a resident of a basemement flat on Ladbroke Grove, for 10 years now. I accept the 2 days a year of noise and disruption. What I cannot accept is the litter outside my property.

If the carnival is to remain a street party, the authorities need to ensure that local residents properties are promptly and properly cleaned of rubbish, urine etc from the carnival.

Currently basement cleaning is on request, often days late, and done in a careless manner.

44. On 2 September Johns wrote:

I know this thread is old but I have to comment.I can't understand why people keep saying move it to Hyde Park. Its a street carnival and it should happen on a street. Using the argument about police not being able to hear through the noise is rubbish because the people who are standing by the sound system are dancing and not causing trouble. Apart from the regular drug takers(which you find everywhere in clubs, in restaurant loos etc) the other people causing trouble are big gangs of boys who are rowdy and push people as they walk along.It's easy to spot them. They also tend to hang around by the gangster rap places. Also the police have really good informants and know who half the people will be anyway. I think its terrible that people do not respect private property and pee in people's gardens etc and I think the council should focus more on that than trying to kill off the carnival with these ridiculous new rules.

43. On 31 August Mike wrote:

I have been stranded here during the carnival, subjected to the noise from three sound systems within less than 50 yards, and with a group of young men urinating in my basement - and this in a street where portaloos are provided. The noise, the disruption, the sense of being a prisoner in one's own home (groups of people have been sitting on the steps, drinking, and the police show no interest), all combine to make me wonder whether the council has the interest of its residents at heart. The carnival is now an international event, and should be moved to a non-residential area so that people can live their normal lives.

42. On 30 August Oliver wrote:

I live on Ladbroke, and I am absolutely sick of the noise, mess, and violence that comes with the Notting Hill Carnival every year. My windows have been shaking all day from the ridiculously loud speakers and subwoofers. The front of my home is covered with rubbish and empty beer bottles. Why do we need to put up with this?? Why do residents have to deal with this nightmare each and every year? Move it to a park or somewhere else more suitable for large crowds!!!

41. On 30 August Jennifer wrote:

Carnival has simply gotten out of hand. Every year it is louder and more out of control. The noise limits that have been set are firstly a joke as 135db is completely unhealthy and, as a resident of Ladbroke Grove, I can tell you are completely ignored by the soundsystems. The council isn't controlling this event so it is time it was either moved or RBKC took proper responsibility. Lastly a truck loaded with speakers is not a "float". That would require some thought and creativity.

40. On 29 August Adam wrote:

I am a white, middle class resident who lives on the route. Complainers should take a long, hard look at themselves and ask why they live here. They like the multiculturalism (when it suits them), they like the trendiness (when it suits them), they like the worldwie recognition (etc....) Carnival is the soul of the area. It makes me proud to be a Londoner and a K&C resident. If you hate it so much, please go live in Wandsworth/Clapham.

39. On 10 August Len wrote:

I am from the local Caribbean community and to be honest I do not look forward to going to the carnival as I did when I was younger (its an age thing!).

In my opinion your proposal to close earlier is wrong. What you have here is on one side a vocal residents group who are unable to enjoy their properties as they would wish for 2 days of each year and are understandably upset by litter and soiling of their properties by the people who attend. On the other side you have the million or so people who attend each of the days who are not aware of this post and being generally young are unlikely to respond in any case. Hence you gain a winning majority easily.

RBKC should be honest and make the decision whether they want the carnival or not. If you don't want a world renown and unique landmark event, stop it now and don't faff about. If you reduce the hours this year, there is nothing to stop you from reducing them the next year and the year after that until the soul has been 100% ripped out of the event. From a participant's point of view the best carnival years were when you had later finishes and places to go afterwards (run-off events, if you like).

The music is loud and can be disturbing particularly if you don't like the style of music (maybe a Tchaikovsky or Frank Sinatra sound system might help!) but I have never seen anyone knocked senseless by noise, not even our policemen. The urine problem can be alleviated by more portable toilets, each year the same number of toilets seem to be provided and each year the number seems to be inadequate.

The Carnival is something special, and when it is gone it will be gone forever, you won't be able to change your mind. It has helped to make Notting Hill known around the world in the same way as the Rio Carnival has raised the profile of Brazil. We should be supporting its growth not trying to stunt it. Would the attitudes be the same if the Carnival was derived from an ancient Norman festival?

38. On 9 August Bafana wrote:

have you all forgotten the fight for recognition. gone are the days when that area when they used to say no blcks , no irish no dogs in the houses and area. blackman fought for that freedom and by all means we need to be able to enjoy it without worry of being told when to stop enjoying ourselves or hearded into a pen and contained in hyde park. canirval is for all . if you leave in the area get out and go to areas that do not have carnival. about the rubbish-- i pay 15000 pounds a year and other monies to the council for that rubbish to be collected. i am now being told that i should sell alcohol in plastic bottles by the council and the police , what nonsense is that . people will still bring weapon into the carnival , buy bottles from outside area and bring them and still use them as weapons.i was hit by the bottles last year but theses black kids were provoked by the police, why dont they let them enjoy themselves than drive them out of the area with button wielding cops who are bent at hitting anything black moving around. once a cop see a black man they sense trouble and gets excited, once a black man see a cop he know there is trouble for him he will not be respected even if he has done nothing wrong. it is tough to be black the canirval being a black origin thing there is bound to be trouble and people finding ways to make it an unpleasant celebration.

37. On 10 August Alice wrote:

Having lived metres off the carnival route for the past five years I have really noticed that certain groups of(mainly teenagers)are becoming more aggressive and less respectful. The party doesn't finish at the 'official' times- they go on on through the night with drunken louts screaming in the streets and when you politely ask them to try and be quieter you get threats of physical violence and verbal abuse! Whilst I agree that I knew about carnival when I moved to the area (I've lived in K&C my entire life) it can become too much and saying that residents should pay to leave the area is just beyond belief! Especially as a friend of mine who lives on Portobello Road did just that three years ago and returned to find his house had been broken into, a party held with spilt drink, broken glasses and mess and his booze cabinet dry! Moving it to Hyde Park is no more practical- people do live around there too- my parents live just off Park Lane and as many people and traffic will be inconvienienced! However, it is not the inconvienience that matters- it's great to get into the spirit of things- but people must be more respectful of the fact that real people live there who need to go to work on Tuesday and put their children to sleep...

36. On 7 August Fi wrote:

I have lived at the centre of the carnival for 20 years as have my parents. There is no doubt it has got bigger and noisier.

I'm all for fun, the spirit of the carnival and celebration. But this must now be balanced by the problems.

Non-residents do not understand the problems of gross littering, the digust at finding your front garden used as a toilet, the vandalism, the theft and returning home worried about what you will find this year, being unable to return home without problems for 2 days, feeling unsafe, watching the shops barricading and boarding up their windows, the all night parties etc...

Notting Hill is not the place for this international event; the streets are small, the community is badly affected and it is extremely costly in terms of policing, the effect on small shops & of clearing up. Limiting the carnival time and putting a noise limit in is a step in the right direction but it does not address the fundamental issues.

It is time the carnival was moved elsewhere- the suggestion of Hyde Park seems sensible and well thought out.

Please listen to the Residents.

35. On 6 August Akinpelu wrote:

Think about what made the area fashionable, trendy and cool, think about how much income is generated and business developed, think about how it brings people together in unity, think about the human need to express ourselves and think what else can do this... Yes only carnival can..

Its about time we supported our art and event organizations better to make events a success, equipping them with the correct tools of the trade, partners and budgets to deploy the appropriate staffing and controls. not leaving them in a state of constant insecurity that causes major compromises to thier work and public safety.

We need to work harder to ensure the community is involved, empowered and most of all trained all year round to run and manage events. Its about less high vis jackets and uniforms and more involvement of older brothers, sisters, fathers and mothers making the event safe using community policing models to rebuild that respect between reveler, performers and event managers..

remember: 'A people's art is the genesis of their freedom'.

34. On 31 July Magus wrote:

Every person in every flat in my house leaves London during the Carnival. So can I, if I want to spend hundreds of £££. Instead, I stay inside for more than 48 hours. I hate it. Whatever the Carnival meant 50 years ago, it is no longer a celebration of the Jamaican community; rather, it is a continuous tug-of-war between the police and the troublemakers, of whom there are plenty. A friend of mine was urt by a flying bottle last year. Move the whole thing offshore--to an abandoned oil rig or a deserted island,

33. On 30 July Terry wrote:

Isn't 135 decibels above the maximum permissable levels? Surely something that is unacceptable on a Health and safety basis should not be endorsed as acceptable by the Leader of the council? Also I believe you should move carnival to Hyde Park before there is a major incident. That many people in narrow residential streets is inviting a calamity.

32. On 29 July Teresa wrote:

so the yuppies have arrived and had such want to continue to take over the area with their snobbish, higher than mighty standards. They will probaly be happy when we've removed everybody not deemed to be equal to their white, middle class views. Get a life and lets celebrate the diversity and remove the underlying negativity and racism.....easy to remove the bigots to Hyde Park....

31. On 27 July Andrea wrote:

I love living in this area every day except August BHol w/e;the residents(me included)feel under siege as we are trapped in our houses and cannot use our cars;all shops/amenities are shut & even boarded up until Tuesday/Wed;Why should we have to leave our home for the w/e? The roads in this area are far too samll for an influx of 1,000,000 revellers and few hundred bands/participants;I will be writing to Mayor Boris to move this carnival to a more suitable area which will make people's enjoyment greater and be much easier to police.

30. On 23 July Elaine wrote:

Let us not forget why the carnival was born. It's a tradition that goes back decades that remembers and marks what new comers to the UK endured. As time has gone on, this has become forgotten and lost. we need to educate our youngsters about history so they can see what a celebration this event truly is, to secure its longevity. Rather than dictate we need to educate!

29. On 21 July Megan wrote:

There obviously has to be a comprimise here- residents dont deserve to have urine at their front doors and damage to their property. And the fact that most people are going to work following this makes me believe that an earlier closing time would really be warrented on the Sunday- and opening the tubes would help alot with the 'trapped' situation that you get at the end of the day when you just want to leave.
I dont think the carnival is a place for children anyway (I am sometimes amazed at how there are babies in prams right next to a subwoofer!)and dont think babies/ small children should be alowed. I am all for freedom of expression but not at the cost of health and saftey of people/ naiboughs. 24hours is much better as there would me more time after for cleaning/ and for people to exit. Also if residents dont want to be around for the carnival they can just go away for a day.

28. On 19 July M. Perry wrote:

I dont live in w.london but always attend the carnival. Firstly what is 2days in a whole year, it is a celebration for rights and freedom!! 7pm is a joke every one wants to carry on enjoying them selves but then have roudy police telling them to move on. I dont agree with any trouble makers but alot of that is because of the police and their actions. As for the mess people are complaning about, be real its gone within 4days max. People are really making out that these 2days out THE WHOLE YEAR destroy their lives. Its terrible.

27. On 12 July John wrote:

I say these people should take there stupid and disgusting carnival to hyde park as it is obvious it is not wanted but theres nothing we could do but to move it.

26. On 6 July Liz wrote:

I've lived in Ladbroke Grove for 50 years. I can take or leave Carnival. But it has got louder and bigger the last 20 odd years. It's the noise and mess that the people leave behind that bothers me. And how can people say don't move into the area if you don't like Carnival? People have a right to live where they choose to. Can these people not live here for the other 363 days of the year? Why should the residents put up with all the noise and mess every year? What about every other year?

25. On 2 July J wrote:

I also live at the centre of the Carnival route, and dread its return each year. That said, I knew about it when I moved to the area and respect the views of those people who contribute to it and get enjoyment out of it. But, the Council and the police must take measures to prevent the recurrence of the violence and property damage experienced last year, which I witnessed first hand. Many visitors appear use the Carnival as an excuse for some seriously anti-social behaviour. The fact that most residents end up barricading their homes for fear of people damaging their property and or using them as an open air toilet, reveals that more must be done the manage and control the crowds. It seems that the council and the police are never quite prepared for the crowd numbers that descend on the area each year. Surely, it would be easier to control the crowds in a vast, open space such a Hyde Park?

24. On 1 July Jo wrote:

I live in the very middle of the Notting Hill Carnival and as a resident i think its absoulutely disgusting when we have to leave our home for the Bank Holiday weekend because we dont feel safe in our own area, just so they can have the Carnival!! Why cant it be put in Hyde Park away from everybody, instead of us feeling threatened if we step outside our own front door. Theres too much violence and people are saying they are going to stop the Carnival, why dont they just stop talking about it and just stop it altogether. At least the residents would feel safer or doesnt that matter anymore?????

23. On 29 June Cliff wrote:

I have been attending the carnival nearly every year for the past 26 years, i have never had any trouble there and enjoyed my time, the only problem i find is at 7.30pm when the carnival is winding down it is hard to leave the area as most of the tube stations are closed, a good idea i think would be to open more tube stations when the carnival is finishing to allow people to leave the area more easier, as i have noticed at this time a lot of people start to loose there cool when they feel trapped in the area and can't get out.

22. On 24 June Laura wrote:

I believe its time that carnival was moved or reduced drastically its ok for people to say dont live in the area if you dont like the carnival ,well ive lived here when the carnival was fun but now all it is is meancing people are scared to leave their homes for the entire two days that is from late saturday night to early monday morning all carnival is now drunkardness ,have you all seen it my door every year gets used as a toilet and its not respectable sober people its drunks and when you lok and all the vendors who sell alcohol legally or illegally there are hundreds of them and year after year its still the same so nowonder there are fights and injuries then youve got the drug dealers who quite openly sell to all and sundry kids .no problem and all and year after year they get away with it because the police are too scared to confront them. im not wrong then ytouve got the ones that gi alng just for the gheck of it to make trouble ,if someone thinks you look at them the wrong way god help you.i have never once been able to take my grandaughter out once on carnival with feeling intimidated, i could go on and on so carnival who needs it.

21. On 22 June Stephen wrote:

I offer my unqualified support for greater controls over the 2 days. It does seem that Bank Holiday Monday is when trouble always seems to occur.
I strongly urge the police to maintain a visibly strong presence at all times down approach roads off Ladbroke Grove (including Oxford Gardens) especially when the public are leaving the carnival. Last year's violence in Ladbroke Grove and also on my road was totally unacceptable.

20. On 22 June Sally wrote:

I have lived in Ladbroke Grove, not through choice, for 25 years. Whereas The Carnival was fun to experience once, now for me and fellow residents its imminence is a nightmare we dread.

I feel hemmed in for two days. The noise is horrendous, especially the sound systems.

Busses are rerouted so I cannot escape unless I go out first thing in the morning and return late. I don't have friends to visit in London so I wander round aimlessly.

Most years I go one step further and leave London which incurs financial outlay which I can do without.

A couple or so years ago there was a suggestion put forward that the event was moved to Hyde Park. In my pinion that's where it should be held.

I'm glad that the Council is taking at least these measures but I feel they don't go far enough in my opinion.

19. On 16 June Kay wrote:

This is so sad. I was born and grew up in the area of allsaints road and surrounding. Like much of this community it is becoming non exsitant. Break the communities, break people's spirits. Those of you who have just moved into this area when I say just moved Im talking about those people who have been living in the area for less than 20 years, those of you who only came here to live because of the NottingHill film. Do you know about the riots, the struggle we have had to deal with and now you want to take away the carnival. It use to be 24hrs, it use to be free, but it is not it is about profit and how to cut back so that it is no longer a Caribbean celebration but a british festival that has so many rules that eventually becomes pointless. Give us back our carnival, give us back the freedom. Why did you move here if you dont like the event. I dont get as excited as I use to because you have taken to much away from the people. It was meant to be about expression and now it feels so controlled, you cant sell food or drink with out a licence the whole point of this was so that people could have a choice, take a rick eat something at the carnival or not. Either way, you want it to fail so that you can have a reason to end it and blame it on the youth who you prevoke and anger.

18. On 16 June Emily wrote:

I totally agree with your blog. As a resident of Kensington and Chelsea I hear stories every year about violent attacks at the Carnival, as well as a lot of littering, and hopefully finishing at an earlier time will lower this issue. People visiting from outside the borough do not seem to understand that because of their selfish actions of dropping litter, many workers have to continue working into the night cleaning up after them.

17. On 15 June Mary wrote:

I support carnival and it's continuation in our streets for years to come.
I think the trouble at the end of last year was very slight and not well managed. there need to be more community mediators and stewards at the event and it needs to be less controlled by a large police presence.
I understand why some residents do not enjoy carnival but I have seen it grow since 1974 and it is a major acheivement for us all. I believe it belongs in the streets and should be here for the children of all communities to enjoy for at least the next 50 years.

16. On 7 June Geri wrote:

I have lived in ladbroke grove all my life, and as im coming on to 48yrs, I dont really go to carnival. but I do believe that the council just want to make a profit out of it,becuse before the council had any thing to do with it carnival was fun. now its got to much input from people who dont know about culture, and comunity spirit. since the council got invoved, its about hiring stalls and having license, for this and that. I can understand people need inspectors to check the food for hygene. but some poeple would like to party into the next day they should have a couple of places for people to go. but now becuas of noise polution clubs or partys have to finish at 2-3oclocke. I think the council and police are being a bit to stiff they need to chill. and go with the flow.

15. On 4 June Helen wrote:

If the decible level of a pneumatic drill is 110 decibels, how can the proposed 135 decibels noise limit be acceptable and not damaged anyone's hearing?

14. On 4 June Maria wrote:

I am from the carnival area and have lived here for more than 25 years. I totally agree that your priority is the safety of the public and that the noise should be at a certain level. As a resident I have in the past taken a keen interest in carnival but over the past few years have noticed an increase in violence and choose not to attend any more and prefer to get right out of the area at this time. I also think the carnival should be moved to Hyde Park where it can be policed adequately and reduce the noise nuisance. I find that the majority of carnival people are not from this area and have no respect for residents - they trash the area and leave to go back to their dwellings whereas us residents can't get in and out of the area; have to deal with the unpleasant smell and disgusting mess left by carnival - it sometimes takes days for the area to return to its former cleanliness. I have had people use my front garden as a urinary; empty cans, bottles etc thrown into my garden; drug dealers and alcoholics in our children's park. It has become an unpleasant experience and I think the council should pay us residents to have our area used in this way. We should be able to enjoy the bank holiday like everyone else in the country but I have to spend a vast amount of money to ship my family out of the area for the entire weekend. As much as I support the riots and my parents were very active in the riots I still would rather it be moved to a more congenial position.

13. On 2 June Mr D. wrote:

Firstly, let us address the issue of the so called riots. Media coverage and official opinion seems to suggest that this incident was caused by 'people intent on causing violent trouble'. However, as a member of the local community, Im well aware that the 'incident' was caused by police intimidation more than anything else. I have come accross may individuals who were either intimidated by the police at seperate incidents or who witnessed the actual events leading up to the riots. I myself was dealt with in a harsh way by police when I simply approached them with a general inquiry. The fact is that the Police used at Notting Hill are not local and thus are not familiar with the local community. They tend to use intimidating tactics and their attitude, sly comments, approach etc seem to suggest that they have a low opinion of the local community. As a passionate Notting Hill Carnival resident, my fear is that the response to the riots have taken none of this into account, thus the powers that be seem oblivious to this problem.

As far as the 'trouble makers' are concerned, I feel that they are easily identifyable. They tend to be in very large groups and exhibit body language which speaks for itself. The undeniable fact is that the vast majority of people who attend the Carnival are there to enjoy themselves. As an active masquerader myself, the general feeling is that the true essence of culture is slowly being lost as a result of all this excessive controls slowly being introduced.

12. On 2 June Kris wrote:

Hi, good post. I have been wondering about this issue,so thanks for posting. I’ll definitely be coming back to your site.

11. On 29 May Rima wrote:

You say that we mustn't let a minority of trouble makers ruin Carnival and yet ironically you are doing just that. You are giving into them! It doesn't make sense to cut it off even earlier than it is now because a lot of people will feel unsatisfied and het up, and I don't mean trouble makers, but ordinary people who want to continue to enjoy themselves. Carnival already finishes early! If anything it should go on later so that people leave when they are ready and with smiles on their faces, not when they are told that 'Time's Up'. The majority of people will choose to leave early anyway but you can't have everybody being shunted off at the same time. It's asking for trouble. If you really had been involved in Carnival for many years you would know that tightening the noose on it does nothing but aggravate the situation with regards to trouble makers. Remember the late eighties when they stopped it early...the trouble was far worse than what happened last year. A positive change since then is that the police have been doing a better job in recent years and have made progress in dealing with the crowds. This new move that you are proposing seems like a backward approach to a problem that is not even specific to Carnival. From what I understand, last year would have been a lot worse if it weren't for information being given to the police about large groups of youths from different areas intent on coming with their own agendas. Subsequently the police stopped many from coming. Stopping Carnival a bit earlier is not a deterrent for this sort of problem. As for the decibels, well, people who live around here know exactly what to expect. It's a fact of the area. I don't always feel like being around at Carnival but I fully support it's existence. And for people who have just moved in, well, if they want to live in the famous Notting Hill they should respect its essence. As of the opinion given by someone above about moving the Carnival to Hyde Park, sorry but that ain't a Carnival anymore. As said by someone else above, a true Carnival happens on the streets. Lastly, I would disagree that the streets stink on the Tuesday, I think the council have done a great job recently of cleaning them up in a short space of time. When I go to work on the Tuesday morning the only real mess I see is in people's front gardens. Please don’t restrict the Carnival anymore!

10. On 28 May Karon wrote:

I was born and have lived my whole life in the carnival area, your suggestions are clearly an attempt to destroy the carnival. You want to make as unappealing as possible so not enough people attend to make it viable. You try to scare people into not coming. In my 44 years I have watched your council and police chip away at it. I remember when carnival went 48 hours round the clock. I remember when all the related competitons were held in the area for the community, I dont think you appreciate exactly how special the carnival is to the area.

I know you will do what pleases the people that dont want it 'in their back yard, its just a shame that my grandchildren won't be able to enjoy the spirit of carnival the way i did.

Young people resent the interference and that is why they behave the way they do.

9. On 26 May Nigel wrote:

We are very pleased to be leaving Notting Hill before the carnival. In this day and age residents deserve better than the level of disruption carnival causes to their daily lives. All carnival events have a 'used by' date stamp on them, it is time for this carnival to relocate to Hydepark where it can be both better contained and better policed.

8. On 26 May Katerina from Bonn wrote

- The carnival is THE event that I look forward to every year, and I will not miss it for anything - despite moving to Germany. The event has emerged as a national and international attraction - and with it, brings money to the city for weekend breakers. So for those living in the area like Sofie, that seams really unfair, and I wonder whether the protection barriers should be provided by the council, or by the carnival organisers instead? That would be quite an expense, so I would suggest forward planning and fundraising. Don’t turn the music down – for the stationary sound systems. In my experience, they are really good at working with the emergency services and turn the music down in the case of an event. Not so familiar with the mobile floats to comment there. Regarding noise being a health hazard for children, everyone who’s been to the carnival knows it is loud, so come prepared and think about your kids! For new-timers, there should be a warning on the carnival websites. If anyone would make the effort to sell ear plugs there, they would make a fortune and contribute to a good cause.

7. On 21 May Zanku wrote:

The Council has a duty to protect the public’s health and safety so the changes to timing and the noise limitation make sense. I suspect that with better organisation it would be possible for more than 125 floats to finish up by 6.30 so it seems a shame to lose some. While I sympathise with what residents have to put up with, the Carnival has been running for over 40 years and I think it would be a terrible cultural loss if it were to be relocated to Hyde Park. The Carnival emerged as an artistic expression of newly immigrated West Indian communities who were searching for some sense of identity in a foreign city. Notting Hill and the Carnival are inextricably linked! We should also remember that these communities helped to catalyse regeneration in north Kensington and make it what it is today – the Carnival is a wonderful way of celebrating that!

6. On 21 May Sandra wrote:

It would be nice if the jugging tent's be moved.
I enjoy carnival and i enjoy looking out of my window at it but because of the jugging tent I Can't see a thing this is un just and un fair. for one who love the carnival. so come on please move those tents further down the road please and not out side my windows every year

5. On 21 May Ellen wrote:

At the end of the day the residents in and around the areas of ladbroke grove and notting hill know full well about the carnival before they move into there houses, if you have this information prior to moving into the area (which no-one can claim they don't know about) then simply dont move into the area, you have know right to complain. Cutting the carnival off early is a terrible idea; people who come from all over the country and even the world sometimes only come specifically for that monday bank holiday and if you start shutting everything down early then spectators will feel robbed.
The violence in our society is a problem whether its at carnival or not and I personally think the police did a great job last year to contain the violence but you can't expect it to just stop all together.
Whoever suggested to move the carnival to hyde park obviously doesnt understand the concept of a carnival. A carnival takes place in the STREETS!! If it gets moved to a park then it is no longer a carnival but just a concert in the park. where exactly would you propose the floats go if its in a park? They're on trucks for a reason!
what you need to be doing it looking at all the other successful carnival in the world that don't seem to be having these problems (caribana in toronto, labour day in new york, rio, portugal etc) and take notes!

4. On 20 May Miss M wrote:

I think it is terrible that people have actully forgotton the whole point of carinval and how it started in the first place. I just fell right now that the reason for the Carinval is being taken over by the same people that casued the riots so many years ago.

For the residents that live in Ladbroke it my be a time which they are unable to move around quickly but it is wrong of some saying that after Carinval the streets are left in a poor condition. I work for an Local HA in Ladbroke Grove and can confirm that on the day I returned to work (the day after carvinal) the streets were clear!

For the new residents to Ladbroke they do not understand the enviroment where they live and feel they should have done looking into the area they were moving into.

And no I do not think carinval should finish earlier than 7pm. as the time has been reduced over the years to 7pm!!!

From my years of attending Carinval it is the Police that cause most of the problems in and around carinval!!!!

3. On 20 May Lee wrote:

Debbie seems to have forgotten that the Rotterdam carnival finishes on a Saturday night. The Notting Hill carnival finishes on a Monday night when some of the residents have to get up early for work the following day or are trying to return to their homes after being away for the weekend to avoid the people who come into their area year after year, armed to the teeth and intent on causing trouble. Obviously the more trucks there are the later the area will be cleared.

2. On 19 May Sophie wrote:

I never stay at home during carnival due to noise and disturbance. The council must realise that for many residents it is unbearable and we take a holiday which is expensive. While I am away, problems always arise protecting the outside of my property. I do a make-shift protection which costs about £300 annually and usually gets torn down. I ought to protect properly which would cost £1500. I am not sure the council realise quite the level of disruption the council causes to residents. After Carnival the streets here stink of rancid cooking oil and the pavements have become permanently stained. I liked the mayor's idea of re-locating in Hyde Park. It is easier to clean up afterwards too.

1. On 15 May Debbie wrote:

I agree with the early start and finish and also that there should be a noise limit. What I dont agree with is the withdrawal of trucks. I believe that you should keep the amount of trucks and noise levels for last year. Also the cut off time for floats to remain at 7pm as they do in Rotterdam, regardless of where the floats are.

Making Carnival safer and enjoyable

What do you think?