As I walked down Nottinghill Gate, just before crossing Kensington Church Street, I glanced upon the sign shown below:
The sign reads:
PUBLIC NOTICE
PLEASE NOTE
YOU ARE REQUESTED NOT TO
CONSUME ALCOHOL IN THIS AREA
So, given that the seal of Westminster City Council and the Metropolitan Police both adorn the sign, are we to conclude that the sign is not so much a request as an official order? Furthermore, the red circle around and the line through the beverage containers seem to indicate that the drinking isn’t allowed. If so, doesn’t the polite language confuse the matter? If I had already knocked back a few pints before I saw the sign would I be able to determine the legal intent of the notice?
