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Thu, Dec 22, 2022, 14:40
- The venue will remain closed until January 16th, when a council hearing will take place to decide its future.
The O2 Academy Brixton in London will temporarily close after two people were killed at a recent concert for Afrobeats artist Asake.
Put forward by the Metropolitan Police, a summary review of the venue's premises licence took place earlier today, December 22nd, at Lambeth Council Chambers. The decision was made to suspend the license until January 16th, when another hearing will take place to decide the venue's future.
The show, which took place last Thursday, December 15th, was cut short after a large number of people tried to enter the venue. Rebecca Ikumelo and Gaby Hutchinson both died in the days following the incident, while a third person remains in critical condition in hospital.
"We're shocked and saddened by the devastating incident in Brixton on Thursday night, and are working to support our communities in the wake of this tragedy," Lambeth Council said in a statement yesterday. "The council is also fully playing its role in the investigations that are now underway. We're determined that answers must be found as to why these awful events occurred."
Since the event, the Guardian has spoken to some of the attendees, who highlighted lax security on the night. One person said it was "the most poorly organised thing" they'd ever seen.
"There wasn't enough security there," they added. "I just think the wrong message was being sent out initially that the people outside were hooligans. The majority of the people out there had tickets."
Another attendee was critical of the police's inaction at the scene. "They were just standing there," they said. "I couldn't understand why no one was telling us we weren't going to get in. They endangered my life."
The article also highlighted a dangerously overfull performance from Fred Again.. earlier this month, with some reports suggesting the venue's security team have been working with scalpers to allow people without tickets to enter.
Several shows in December and January will have to be cancelled or postponed, including DnB Allstars on New Year's Eve and three nights from Australian alternative R&B band Chase Atlantic in January.
Lambeth Council's decision was confirmed by local reporter Robert Firth, who was present at today's hearing.
Photo: John Williams Photography