The Notting Hill carnival could face an uncertain future unless the government provides urgent funding, according to a leaked letter from its organisers. Ian Comfort, chair of the carnival, wrote to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy requesting public money, warning that failure to secure additional funds could compromise public safety and jeopardise the event's survival.
The letter, reported by the BBC, follows an independent safety review of the west London festival, which began in 1966. The review identified 'critical public safety concerns' that require extra funding to address, though Comfort did not specify the amount needed. The review cost £100,000 and was funded by the Greater London Authority, Kensington and Chelsea Council, and Westminster City Council; its findings have not been made public.
Comfort also referred to an April report by the London Assembly, which highlighted increasing strain on the Metropolitan Police during large-scale events. He noted that 'limited resourcing has restricted the police service's ability to respond to growing operational pressures' and called for increased investment in stewarding and crowd management to allow police to focus on crime prevention.
The Metropolitan Police's Assistant Commissioner, Matt Twist, previously raised concerns about crowd density at the carnival, warning of a potential 'mass casualty event' in evidence to the London Assembly last September. Last year, around 7,000 officers were on duty for the event, which attracts about 2 million people over the August bank holiday weekend. This year's carnival is scheduled for 24 and 25 August.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport stated it would respond to the letter in due course. The carnival, second in size only to Rio's, is considered Europe's largest street event. Its origins trace back to an indoor Caribbean carnival in 1959 organised by activist Claudia Jones, with the first outdoor festival taking place in Notting Hill in 1966, organised by community activist Rhaune Laslett.
