Notting Hill Carnival‘s future may be in jeopardy if “urgent” government funding isn’t raised.
As first reported by the BBC, Notting Hill Carnival chair Ian Comfort has written to Lisa Nandy, Culture Secretary, in an effort to raise funding which he stated was “essential to safeguarding the future and public safety of this iconic event”.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has stated it will “respond to the letter in due course”.
The request comes after a recent review of the festival identified “critical public safety concerns” that required greater funding to address.
In response, the Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan stated there were “huge concerns” surrounding public safety at the yearly event while speaking at City Hall on Thursday 19 June.
Held yearly during the August Bank Holiday weekend [24-25 August], Notting Hill Carnival regularly attracts around two million people to West London. The celebration of Caribbean music and culture has been a staple of the UK festival diary since its first event in 1966.