The weekend in the capital will see Notting Hill Carnival, which is marking its 60th anniversary and is expected to attract up to two million visitors
The London Ambulance Service (LAS) is urging people to celebrate the long weekend responsibly after alcohol-related emergencies rose sharply during last year’s August bank holiday.
Figures from the LAS shows that ambulance crews attended 73 percent more alcohol-related incidents on the August bank holiday Monday alone in 2025 compared to the previous Monday.
Across the entire weekend between Saturday 23rd and Monday 25th August last year ambulance crews attended 467 alcohol related incidents, compared to 340 incidents the previous weekend (Saturday 16th August to Monday 18th August) – an increase of nearly 40%.
The weekend in the capital will also see this year’s Notting Hill Carnival, which is marking its 60th anniversary and is expected to attract up to two million visitors across the bank holiday weekend, making it the largest street festival in Europe.
London Ambulance Service is reminding carnival-goers to plan ahead, stay hydrated, drink responsibly and look after friends and family while enjoying the celebrations.
Alison Blakely, gold commander and deputy chief paramedic, said: “Notting Hill Carnival is one of London’s most vibrant and iconic events, and we want everyone attending to enjoy it safely.
“With millions of people expected to visit west London over the weekend, our crews will be working hard across the Carnival footprint and throughout the capital to respond to those who need us.
“Last year we saw a significant rise in alcohol-related incidents over the bank holiday weekend and all of these are avoidable. They take up an ambulance crew from someone else who may need help.
“So if you’re planning to drink, please do so responsibly. Make sure you’ve eaten beforehand, stay hydrated by drinking water regularly and keep an eye on the people you’re with.
To help keep carnival-goers safe, London Ambulance Service will have additional staff on duty at the event.
Most will be frontline clinicians deployed on foot or bicycle to reach patients quickly in crowded areas. Critical care teams, ambulance crews, operational commanders and specialist support staff will also be working throughout the weekend.
Teams will also be staffing the Service’s Specialist Operations Centre, joint medical control facilities and fixed treatment centres jointly staffed by St John Ambulance and London Ambulance Service.
The treatment centres will be based at the following locations:
- St Thomas Church Hall, 222 Kensal Road, W10 5BN
- Blue Pitch, Golborne Gardens, W10 5DZ
- St Charles Place @ St Charles Square, W19 6EF
- St Marks Place, London, W11 1NT
- St Peters Church, Kensington Park Road, W11 2PN
- Westbourne Park Bus Garage, Great Western Road, W9 3NW
- St Stephen’s Gardens, W2 6QU
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