Two million people are coming to Notting Hill. Is your property ready?

Notting Hill Carnival hits West London on Saturday 29th of August for it's 60th anniversary. Two million people, three days, one small patch of London. Great weekend for carnival. Risky one for your property if you haven't planned for it. 

How close is too close? 

Your risk goes up the nearer you are to the parade route, sound systems, stages and official carnival sites, tube stations and bus stops taking the footfall surge, and pubs, bars and food spots that will be rammed all weekend. 

TfL and RBKC publish confirmed closures and maps. Check both - routes shift year to year. 

What actually goes wrong 

Doorways and yards used as toilets. Drunken, disorderly behaviour late at night. Opportunistic theft. And the one we see most: smashed windows and forced entry into properties left unsecured. Most trespass is opportunistic. Nobody's planning a break-in three weeks out - they're taking a chance on whatever looks easiest on the night. Don't be the easiest option on your street. 

Empty buildings advertise themselves

A vacant property with no visible activity is the easiest target on the block over carnival weekend. Patrolled, well-maintained buildings rarely get touched. Empty, dark, unwatched ones do. 

Five things to do before the weekend 

1. Confirm the closures. Know exactly when deliveries, access and parking around your property will be affected. 

2. Talk to your neighbours. Other owners on your street already know what carnival weekend actually looks like there, and whether it's been a problem before. 

3. Board it up. Ground-floor windows and basement access are where the damage happens. Boarding them properly costs a lot less than the repair bill, and the insurance hit, afterwards. 

4. Temporary fencing around yards, stairwells and external access cuts down on trespass and litter without shutting the whole property down.

5. Put security on the ground. If you're right on the route, or the property's standing empty, boards and fencing aren't enough on their own. A physical presence over the three days is what actually stops it happening.

We're already on this patch 

We secure a number of buildings in and around the Notting Hill area. Get in touch before the bank holiday. Don't leave it to carnival weekend to find out your property was the easy option. 

w: ambikasecurity.com t: +44 (0)20 7376 9740 e: info@ambikaproperty.com