Notting Hill Carnival is a high-energy, widely enjoyed cultural celebration, but it carries significant safety risks due to extreme overcrowding and pockets of violent crime. While over a million people attend safely annually, the event requires vigilant caution regarding, theft, intense crowd density, and potential violence, particularly in the evenings.
Whilst the majority of people who attend Notting Hill Carnival have a wonderful time, it can also be a hotspot weekend for some young people coming to harm, getting into trouble or needing some additional support.
Escalating Violence at Notting Hill Carnival: Day Two Sees More Stabbings and Increased Assaults on Police Day two of the Notting Hill Carnival has been marred by an alarming increase in violence, with multiple stabbings and a significant number of assaults on police officers.
There is crime like anywhere in both areas, theft is the main crime in the area. However there are safer neighbourhood teams from the Met patrolling and Westminster Council has street teams also patrolling. Stick to going in the day rather than night.
Notting Hill holds one of the lowest crime rates on this list. Famous for its pastel-coloured houses and the annual Notting Hill Carnival, this neighbourhood cultivates a warm and welcoming community spirit, making it one of the most charming and safest places to stay in London.
Notting Hill Carnival: How to stay safe in a crowd - BBC News
How many stabbings are there at Notting Hill?
Last year, eight people were stabbed, leaving one person dead. Another person was killed in a separate attack. Met Assistant Commissioner Matt Ward said the use of live facial recognition, metal detectors and stop-and-search had "prevented some of the serious violence we have seen at previous carnivals".
Is It Safe To Go Out At Night In Notting Hill? Notting Hill offers a variety of pubs, restaurants, and cultural venues. While generally safe, it's wise to take standard precautions, especially late at night. The lively nightlife can attract opportunistic thieves, so staying aware of your surroundings is essential.
Notting Hill can be a little bit of a tourist trap but my main tip for avoiding this is Goldborn Road. It's just the end of Portobello Road and it's basically Notting Hill minus the crowds and the queues.
Plan your route and think about what to take with you, especially if you're going somewhere you haven't been before. Keep to busy, well-lit streets, walkways and paths which are more likely to be covered by CCTV. Only take licensed taxis or minicabs booked by phone or a mobile phone app.
London. The capital remains the city with most stabbings UK authorities have recorded, and by a wide margin. With 188 knife crimes per 100,000 people, London continues to face significant challenges despite major police initiatives.
London's safest and quietest neighborhoods are typically the most affluent. Mayfair, South Kensington, Knightsbridge, Belgravia, and Chelsea are largely residential and very safe to walk around at any hour. Bloomsbury and Fitzrovia are also excellent, peaceful choices.
Answer. The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) advises me that during Notting Hill Carnival 2022, there were a total number of 209 arrests. The table below shows these broken down by offence type. This data is correct as of Tuesday 30th August 2022 and is subject to change when further data is available.
Criminals target large-scale celebrations in Brazil, such as the Carnival in major cities. Be aware of your personal security and surroundings. Be cautious about proposals from strangers that take you away from public areas.
Be aware of your surroundings. Keep valuables tucked away. I was just walking around London at night and did not feel unsafe. It's better to be aware of your belongings and personal safety than to hide away because someone *might* do something.
To avoid bigger crowds, it's best to avoid the February half-term, Easter holiday and October half-term. The dates of these breaks change annually and this is when children across the country will be on a short break from school.
The poorest parts of London are concentrated in boroughs like Tower Hamlets, Hackney, and Newham, especially regarding income deprivation for children and older people, with pockets of poverty also in Brent, Barking & Dagenham, and parts of Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea. These areas face high rates of poverty, with some wards like Northumberland Park (Haringey) and Stonebridge (Brent) being among the most deprived.
The Metropolitan Police announced that facial recognition would be used for the first time at the 2025 carnival. Since 1987, there have been eight deaths related to violence at carnival: 1987, 1991, two people in 2000 2004, 2022, and two people in 2024.
Celebrity connections: Stella McCartney, Robbie Williams and Damon Albarn have all called Notting Hill home. Pop-culture symbols: Notting Hill has featured in iconic films and fiction, from its namesake Hollywood feature to Paddington Bear.
Keep your mobile phone and valuables out of sight. If you're using your phone it's more likely to be snatched from your hand as you're not paying attention to your surroundings, so look around you. And never leave a mobile, any other device, wallet or purse on the table of an outdoor café, pub or restaurant.
Greater London Crime Statistics. The overall crime rate in London as of Nov 2025 is 85 crimes per 1,000, and the most common crimes reported are violence and sexual offences, with reports coming from roughly every 25 out of 1,000 daytime population.
