Permanently closing Brixton Academy would be a band-aid solution that fails to address the need for improved security measures, argues Ellen Peirson-Hagger.
In recent months, the South London music scene has felt different. Since December 2022 one of the area’s most prominent venues, O2 Academy Brixton, has been closed after a crowd crush resulted in two deaths. Rebecca Ikumelo, a 33-year-old concert-goer, and Gaby Hutchinson, a 23-year-old security guard, died as fans attempted to enter a show by the Nigerian Afrobeats artist Asake.
Initial reports of a ticketless mob swarming the doors were contested. Onlookers claim some of those stuck outside were ticket-holders. The problem lay with the security staff, witnesses said, who “kettled” them into a small space. This week, following a three-month suspension, the Metropolitan Police has called for the venue’s licence to be revoked, which would mean permanent closure for O2 Academy Brixton. The local authority will decide whether to follow the police advice or to reopen it...Keep reading on The New Statesman.
In recent months, the South London music scene has felt different. Since December 2022 one of the area’s most prominent venues, O2 Academy Brixton, has been closed after a crowd crush resulted in two deaths. Rebecca Ikumelo, a 33-year-old concert-goer, and Gaby Hutchinson, a 23-year-old security guard, died as fans attempted to enter a show by the Nigerian Afrobeats artist Asake.
Initial reports of a ticketless mob swarming the doors were contested. Onlookers claim some of those stuck outside were ticket-holders. The problem lay with the security staff, witnesses said, who “kettled” them into a small space. This week, following a three-month suspension, the Metropolitan Police has called for the venue’s licence to be revoked, which would mean permanent closure for O2 Academy Brixton. The local authority will decide whether to follow the police advice or to reopen it...Keep reading on The New Statesman.