The Brixton O2 Academy faces the possibility of indefinite closure after the Met Police urged the council to strip the venue’s operator of their licence in the wake of a deadly crowd crush that killed two people.
A crush at an Asake gig in December claimed the lives of Gabrielle Hutchinson, 23, a security worker, and mother-of-two Rebecca Ikumelo, 33, also leaving a third person critically injured.
In January the venue’s operator the Academy Music Group (AMG) had their licence suspended for at least three months, and unless and until further steps were taken to “ensure the venue can open safely” in a variation application.
But in a fresh submission dated April 17, the Metropolitan Police said it had “lost confidence” in AMG and urged Lambeth Council to revoke the licence completely.
A spokesperson for the force confirmed the move to the Standard and said: “On Monday 16 January, the licence of the Brixton O2 Academy was suspended for three months.
“On 14 April, the Met Police submitted an application for a review of premises licence to Lambeth Council and will be seeking a revocation of the licence.
“This matter will be decided at a future council sub-committee hearing on a date to be confirmed.”
The next meeting is due to be held on May 15 and councillors may choose to ignore the recommendation of Scotland Yard. AMG told the Standard on Tuesday morning that they are cooperating fully with the police.
Simulataneous to the Met’s application, AMG submitted their own application for a variation of their licence, dated March 22, which would allow it to stay open if approved.
But the police’s application states that the option of allowing the venue to identify remedial steps to retain its licence “has not been successful in identifying the remedial measures which need to be in place before the Academy can safely re-open.”
A Lambeth Council spokesperson said: “In January the sub-committee imposed a condition requiring the venue to cease all licensable activities pending it submitting a variation application – and the council granting that application.
“The operators of the O2 Academy Brixton were required at that last meeting to come up with workable changes to their license in a way that fully addresses police concerns about the venue’s operations, and ensure no repeat of the tragic events of 15 December, via that variation application.
“The variation application has been made, and will be considered at a Licensing Sub-Committee on a date that will be confirmed shortly. The O2 Academy Brixton’s will not be able to carry out any licensable activities until after that meeting at the earliest.
“On April 14 an application to review the O2 Academy Brixton’s licence was submitted by the Met Police. That application is now subject to a statutory consultation period.
“As a result there are currently there are two outstanding applications in relation to the venue, the license variation and the license review. Lambeth Council will consider both in due course.”
Academy Music Group told the Standard: ““Academy Music Group has co-operated fully with the Metropolitan Police and Lambeth Council since the tragedy at Brixton occurred.
“We have had regular meetings and discussions with the Metropolitan Police and Lambeth Council at which we have presented detailed proposals that we believe will enable the venue to reopen safely.
“AMG has been awaiting feedback on those proposals for several weeks and looks forward to hearing from the police as soon as possible in constructive terms. The review of our licence will take place through the formal process with Lambeth Council in due course.”
If the operator loses their licence another may step in.
Officers have previously appealed for footage to unlock why the deadly crowd crush happened.
The Met is still investigating the fatal incident, including claims of lax security and concertgoers attempting to enter without tickets.
A health and safety review is also being held by Lambeth Council, led by former chief executive Paul Martin.
Nigerian Afrobeats singer-songwriter Asake had been scheduled to perform on the evening of December 15 in the last of three shows in London that week before the chaotic scenes unfolded.
At an earlier hearing, Lambeth councillors were told that a large crowd formed in front of the venue, forcing staff to close the doors in the lead-up to the crush.
