Residents of Notting Hill were today seen putting up barricades to protect their multi-million pound properties from the one million revellers expected to descend upon London’s street this weekend.
As preparations were underway for the annual street event that will take place over the bank holiday weekend, police were pictured searching the area.
Thousands of police are poised to lock down the carnival this weekend amid fears of acid attacks and violence and will carry gallons of water, specialist gloves and acid detecting kits in a bid to prevent a repeat of last year’s stampede when acid was thrown in the air.
More than one million people are expected to attend the street party, which costs £6million to police, in one of London’s wealthiest neighbourhoods, across Sunday and Monday to celebrate British African-Caribbean culture.
Notting Hill millionaires barricaded their homes to protect their properties from the one million carnival revellers expected to descend upon the street tomorrow
In addition to searching the area police are poised to lock down the carnival this weekend amid fears of acid attacks
Thousands of police are poised to lock down the carnival this weekend amid fears of acid attacks and violence and will carry gallons of water, specialist gloves and acid detecting kits
Helping police at the event will be behaviour experts who will recognise violence to try and protect the large crowds
One business said they had been working 15 hours a day to board up homes and business and were tackled with 100 more properties than in recent years as security measure were upped
More properties than ever have been boarded up as Metropolitan Police upped their security this year after 300 arrests were made last year
Pictured: Workmen board up a residential property ahead of the Notting Hill Carnival that takes place this bank holiday weekend
Hundreds of shops, windows and gardens have been boarded up along the carnival route over the past week to protect them from revellers
David McClure, a workman installing boards on the route for company AES said: ‘We started on Thursday, we have to do today and we have about 160 shops to board up’
Mr McClure added: ‘We’re working 14 or 15 hours per day putting them up and taking them down. It used to be only 60 or 70 shops’
Roughly 6,000 police officers, including a newly-formed violent crime task force, will patrol the streets after 300 people were arrested at last year’s Carnival
Hundreds of shops, windows and gardens have been boarded up along the carnival route over the past week to protect them from damage from revellers.
One company said they were working 15 hours a day to board up homes and businesses and were tackled with 100 more properties than they have done in previous years as security is upped.
David McClure, a workman installing boards on the route for company AES said: ‘We started on Thursday, we have to do today and we have about 160 shops to board up.
A staff member at the luxury menswear shop Paul Smith said they always surround the building with wooden boards – but some revellers still attempt to scale the barriers
The carnival takes place in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and is one of the largest festivals in the world
‘But that’s just our company – there are others doing the exact same.
‘We’re working 14 or 15 hours per day putting them up and taking them down. It used to be only 60 or 70 shops.
‘It’s disgusting when you come to take it down but the council do clean it up pretty quick. They use these as urinals, it’s disgusting the stuff they leave around.’
A staff member at the luxury menswear shop Paul Smith said they always surround the building with wooden boards – but some revellers still attempt to scale the barriers.
Graffiti tributes have also been spray-painted on the ply-boards in memory of victims of the tragic Grenfell Tower fire which happened in Notting Hill more than a year ago
He said: ‘We have had occasions where people have been trying to climb the hoarding and get into the garden, because we have an open garden and it would just be smashed.
‘The council board off all their garden spaces, everything is closed off. You can’t be the one that doesn’t.
‘You get the odd car left out and they are just destroyed or painted. It’s carnage.’
Graffiti tributes and banners have also been placed along various streets in memory of victims of the tragic Grenfell Tower fire which happened in Notting Hill more than a year ago.
Banners have been placed up on streets which read ‘Respect Silence, Reflect Grenfell’ and have the iconic Grenfell Tower green heart
A touching tribute has also been made to budding graffiti artist Harrison Scott-Hood, 23, also known as Lover, who was among three friends killed by a train on a busy South London railway line.
Officers have been preforming searches on the street in preparation for the Festival which kicks off on Saturday evening and finishes on Monday.
The Metropolitan Police has added metal detectors in a bid to flush out those carrying knives and weapons and officers will carry gallons of water and acid detecting kits in a bid to prevent attacks.
Behaviour experts will also be at the event to recognise violence to try and protect the large crowds.
Roughly 6,000 police officers, including a newly-formed violent crime task force, will patrol the streets after 300 people were arrested at last year’s Carnival.
Workers set up temporary toilets in Notting Hill, west London, to be used by revellers partying ahead of Notting Hill Carnival