A music venue in Brixton could be closed permanently after the Metropolitan police called for its licence to be revoked after two people were killed in a crowd crush in December.
The O2 Academy venue’s licence was suspended in January for three months by Lambeth councillors after the security guard Gaby Hutchinson, 23, and Rebecca Ikumelo, 33, died when a crush occurred after fans tried to enter a show by Nigerian artist Asake.
A decision by the local authority on whether to follow the police advice or to reopen the venue is expected to be decided at a licensing meeting soon.
The Met told the PA news agency: “On Monday 16 January, the licence of the O2 Academy Brixton was suspended for three months.
“On 14 April, the Met police submitted an application for a review of [the] 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.”
On the night of the concert on 15 December, about 1,000 people were outside the venue and police found “large-scale disorder” with crowds eventually pushing the doors open, according to Gerald Gouriet KC who represented the Met police at the licensing meeting. Early reports of ticketless fans being outside the venue has been questioned by witnesses.
A police investigation was launched and the Security Industry Authority (SIA) also began an inquiry into corruption allegations made.
The BBC’s File On 4 programme reported a security guard at the venue said some members of security staff would allow “a couple of hundred” people into the venue in exchange for money.
A spokesperson for the venue’s owner, Academy Music Group (AMG), said: “AMG has cooperated 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.”
A Lambeth council spokesperson said the operators of the O2 Academy Brixton were required at the last meeting in January to come up with workable changes to their licence 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 a variation application.
The spokesperson added: “The variation application has been made, and will be considered at a licensing sub-committee on a date that will be confirmed shortly. On 14 April, 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 two outstanding applications in relation to the venue, the licence variation and the licence review. Lambeth council will consider both in due course.”
