O2 Academy Brixton will remain closed until April following fatal crowd crush
Two people died after a crush occurred during an Asake concert
Brixton's O2 Academy will remain shuttered for the next three months following a fatal crowd crush in December, according to The Guardian.
The venue will remain closed until April, owners Academy Music Group (AMG) confirmed on Saturday, while investigations are still ongoing.
Brixton Academy’s license was temporarily suspended until today, January 16. Lambeth Council’s licensing sub-committee will meet today to discuss the ongoing matter, BBC News reports.
AMG said in a statement to the BBC that it had "reflected deeply" on the incident, and will close regardless of the license review decision made today.
On December 15, a crush occurred both in the foyer and outside the venue during a concert where Afropop singer Asake was performing.
Rebecca Ikumelo, 33, and Gaby Hutchinson, 23, passed away just days later on December 17 and 19 respectively, while a third person remains in hospital in critical condition.
It’s currently understood that the venue will remain closed until April, per the sub-committee’s meeting later today. Several investigations continue, led by the Met Police, who said it would call for the venue’s continued license suspension today during the meeting.
“O2 Academy Brixton recognises the gravity of the events which occurred on the night of 15th December 2022 and expresses its sincere condolences to the families of those who died during the tragic incident and its genuine concerns for anyone affected by it,” a spokesperson for AMG told the BBC.
“The licence holder (AMG) is committed to understanding what happened and co-operating with the various investigations that are under way including providing full cooperation to the police in the conduct of their inquiries,” they added.
33-year-old mother of two, Rebecca Ikumelo, passed away in hospital following the incident. Gaby Hutchinson, who was working as security on the night, died in the early hours of December 19. Both Ikumelo and Hutchinson were in the foyer of the venue when the incident occurred.
Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Editorial Assistant, follow her on Twitter