This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2017/aug/26/after-grenfell-notting-hill-insiders-say-carnival-is-needed-more-than-ever
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| After Grenfell, Notting Hill insiders say carnival is needed more than ever | After Grenfell, Notting Hill insiders say carnival is needed more than ever |
| (5 months later) | |
| Local people plea for a return to carnival’s community spirit as bureaucracy and anti-crime measures lead to fears for its future | |
| Damien Gayle | |
| Sat 26 Aug 2017 06.30 BST | |
| Last modified on Mon 27 Nov 2017 17.57 GMT | |
| Share on Facebook | |
| Share on Twitter | |
| Share via Email | |
| View more sharing options | |
| Share on LinkedIn | |
| Share on Pinterest | |
| Share on Google+ | |
| Share on WhatsApp | |
| Share on Messenger | |
| Close | |
| Notting Hill carnival takes place this weekend amid fears that the community is losing control of the event and that increasing bureaucracy is robbing it of its grassroots energy. | Notting Hill carnival takes place this weekend amid fears that the community is losing control of the event and that increasing bureaucracy is robbing it of its grassroots energy. |
| Two sound systems have dropped out and major changes have been made to the locations of others, after the longstanding organising committee was forced to cede control of the event. | Two sound systems have dropped out and major changes have been made to the locations of others, after the longstanding organising committee was forced to cede control of the event. |
| This year’s carnival also takes place in the shadow of Grenfell Tower, where at least 80 people died in a fire on 14 June. And an intense police operation will mean the site, in the heart of Kensington and Chelsea, is surrounded by steel and concrete barriers and checkpoints. | This year’s carnival also takes place in the shadow of Grenfell Tower, where at least 80 people died in a fire on 14 June. And an intense police operation will mean the site, in the heart of Kensington and Chelsea, is surrounded by steel and concrete barriers and checkpoints. |
| Since the first Notting Hill carnival, in 1966, the event has been organised by the local community. But the London Notting Hill Carnival Enterprises Trust (LNHCET) has appointed the Street Events Company (SEC) to take charge this year. The change in operator follows criticism of the LNHCET, particularly in two reports published since last year’s carnival, which led the mayor of London and other funding bodies to question whether the trust was competent enough to take charge of large sums of public money. | Since the first Notting Hill carnival, in 1966, the event has been organised by the local community. But the London Notting Hill Carnival Enterprises Trust (LNHCET) has appointed the Street Events Company (SEC) to take charge this year. The change in operator follows criticism of the LNHCET, particularly in two reports published since last year’s carnival, which led the mayor of London and other funding bodies to question whether the trust was competent enough to take charge of large sums of public money. |
| SEC was appointed in January to oversee the operation of carnival, but it has taken some steps that have upset people long connected with the event. The company is led by David Morgan, a former Metropolitan police officer who has been involved with carnival since 2001 and who last year acted as a consultant to the carnival board. | SEC was appointed in January to oversee the operation of carnival, but it has taken some steps that have upset people long connected with the event. The company is led by David Morgan, a former Metropolitan police officer who has been involved with carnival since 2001 and who last year acted as a consultant to the carnival board. |
| One major change that has upset carnival insiders has been the removal of two sound systems – including the event’s oldest – from their usual spots on All Saints Road, which was once the heart of Ladbroke Grove’s black community. | One major change that has upset carnival insiders has been the removal of two sound systems – including the event’s oldest – from their usual spots on All Saints Road, which was once the heart of Ladbroke Grove’s black community. |
| Mangrove Sound, a soca music stage said to have been the first static stage to set up at carnival, has been moved to a new location on Portobello Road. CMC, a drum and bass sound system, will not appear on All Saints Road this year after a new spot could not be found for it. Another sound system, King SSP, will also not be appearing after the Met objected to its application for a bar licence. | Mangrove Sound, a soca music stage said to have been the first static stage to set up at carnival, has been moved to a new location on Portobello Road. CMC, a drum and bass sound system, will not appear on All Saints Road this year after a new spot could not be found for it. Another sound system, King SSP, will also not be appearing after the Met objected to its application for a bar licence. |
| Mangrove, in particular, has a long association with the black civil rights movement that was once centred on All Saints Road and the now-closed Mangrove restaurant. | Mangrove, in particular, has a long association with the black civil rights movement that was once centred on All Saints Road and the now-closed Mangrove restaurant. |
| Ricky Belgrave, the chairman of the British Association of Static Sound Systems (Bass), said it had been painful to make the changes on what was regarded as “hallowed ground” for the community, but that his members had felt compelled to comply with the findings of a report that warned of overcrowding on the street. | Ricky Belgrave, the chairman of the British Association of Static Sound Systems (Bass), said it had been painful to make the changes on what was regarded as “hallowed ground” for the community, but that his members had felt compelled to comply with the findings of a report that warned of overcrowding on the street. |
| “This was bloody painful and we weren’t happy about it, but obviously if there was some sort of crushing or something this year, then they [could have said] this report actually recommended this and you didn’t undertake the recommendations,” he said. | “This was bloody painful and we weren’t happy about it, but obviously if there was some sort of crushing or something this year, then they [could have said] this report actually recommended this and you didn’t undertake the recommendations,” he said. |
| Many other carnival participants have said new rules have restricted their ability to contribute to this year’s party. Gaz Mayall, who runs the venerable Gaz’s Rockin Blues stage, said his sound system would be scaled down. “When we started 25 years ago, it was all fun and free, and it’s still fun, but it’s not free,” he said. | Many other carnival participants have said new rules have restricted their ability to contribute to this year’s party. Gaz Mayall, who runs the venerable Gaz’s Rockin Blues stage, said his sound system would be scaled down. “When we started 25 years ago, it was all fun and free, and it’s still fun, but it’s not free,” he said. |
| His situation highlights the grassroots nature of the festival. Many problems have been caused by fresh financial burdens on participants, including demands for extra risk assessments and security staff. There have been problems with filling out forms so complicated that, Mayall claims, participants were told they would need a university graduate to make sense of them. | His situation highlights the grassroots nature of the festival. Many problems have been caused by fresh financial burdens on participants, including demands for extra risk assessments and security staff. There have been problems with filling out forms so complicated that, Mayall claims, participants were told they would need a university graduate to make sense of them. |
| “These sound men have been doing it for 25 years as Bass members,” Mayall said. “They’ve been doing it for countless years before that, they’re all over 50 years old – not decrepit, they’ve just got a huge amount of experience. They know what they’re doing and nobody else has that experience. Some guy who’s just come out of university with a degree doesn’t have a clue about carnival; he might never have been here before.” | “These sound men have been doing it for 25 years as Bass members,” Mayall said. “They’ve been doing it for countless years before that, they’re all over 50 years old – not decrepit, they’ve just got a huge amount of experience. They know what they’re doing and nobody else has that experience. Some guy who’s just come out of university with a degree doesn’t have a clue about carnival; he might never have been here before.” |
| The masquerade dancers and steel pan bands taking part in the carnival parade have also complained about new restrictions forcing them to submit to random searches and a host of other requirements. | The masquerade dancers and steel pan bands taking part in the carnival parade have also complained about new restrictions forcing them to submit to random searches and a host of other requirements. |
| Notting Hill carnival has an added poignancy this year, coming just two months after the fire that ripped through the high-rise Grenfell Tower, which sits in the heart of what remains of the area’s working class community. | Notting Hill carnival has an added poignancy this year, coming just two months after the fire that ripped through the high-rise Grenfell Tower, which sits in the heart of what remains of the area’s working class community. |
| Although Grenfell cannot be seen from the carnival route, it still looms over the event. Niles Hailstones, a community organiser, said he hoped many visitors would wear green for Grenfell and respectfully observe the minute’s silence due to take place at 3pm on Sunday and Monday. | Although Grenfell cannot be seen from the carnival route, it still looms over the event. Niles Hailstones, a community organiser, said he hoped many visitors would wear green for Grenfell and respectfully observe the minute’s silence due to take place at 3pm on Sunday and Monday. |
| “The energy of carnival, its true essence, is something that’s needed at this point in time,” Hailstones said. “It’s an expression of the people, but it’s something that’s become commercialised over the years, so I think the challenge this year is to bring it back to its roots.” | “The energy of carnival, its true essence, is something that’s needed at this point in time,” Hailstones said. “It’s an expression of the people, but it’s something that’s become commercialised over the years, so I think the challenge this year is to bring it back to its roots.” |
| One outcome of the Grenfell disaster was that attention had been refocused on the Ladbroke Grove community, giving local people a greater voice in this year’s carnival, Hailstones said. “It’s a process of the community starting to re-look at it and maybe take some control back for the community. The committee has been ineffective to a certain degree … We have 50 years of carnival past already; if there’s going to be another 50 years, there needs to be more community control again, because that control has been lost over the years.” | One outcome of the Grenfell disaster was that attention had been refocused on the Ladbroke Grove community, giving local people a greater voice in this year’s carnival, Hailstones said. “It’s a process of the community starting to re-look at it and maybe take some control back for the community. The committee has been ineffective to a certain degree … We have 50 years of carnival past already; if there’s going to be another 50 years, there needs to be more community control again, because that control has been lost over the years.” |
| Notting Hill carnival | |
| Festivals | |
| London | |
| news | |
| Share on Facebook | |
| Share on Twitter | |
| Share via Email | |
| Share on LinkedIn | |
| Share on Pinterest | |
| Share on Google+ | |
| Share on WhatsApp | |
| Share on Messenger | |
| Reuse this content |