A petition has been launched on-line to avoid wasting the O2 Academy Brixton, following hypothesis that the venue might shut for good.
At the moment, the historic venue stays closed following an incident that occurred at an Asake gig final 12 months. Going down on December 15, 2022, a crush was attributable to folks exterior the venue, who pressured their approach into the present — resulting in overcrowding and the gig being cancelled midway by way of.
Two attendees, Rebecca Ikumelo, aged 33 and Gaby Hutchinson, 23 died within the following days. Moreover, a 3rd ticket holder, aged 21, stays in hospital in a important situation.
The occasion led to the Brixton Academy having its licence briefly suspended and, most just lately, a debate on whether or not it ought to be made to shut for good. This began after the Metropolitan Police confirmed they’d “misplaced confidence” and had been pushing Lambeth council to revoke the licence totally.
Following the hypothesis, a petition has been launched on-line, calling for music lovers to insist that the venue stays open.
Rising simply two days in the past (April 26), the petition has already gathered over 9,900 signatures. The petition on Change.Org states that when it reaches 10,000 signatures, it’s extra more likely to be recognised by a “determination maker”.
“Brixton Academy is an iconic London music venue and may this stop to be so, one other a part of the musical panorama and historical past is misplaced perpetually,” writes the petition’s founder within the description. “I personally have been to a whole lot of gigs in my lifetime, lots of them right here and I’ve by no means as soon as felt like security was a difficulty! The lack of this venue would even have a devastating impact on the native economic system!”
Additionally they go on to assert that the tragedy brought on again in December was attributable to guests attempting to enter the present “with out tickets” and members of workers who weren’t correctly ready to oversee the occasion. Elsewhere, additionally they recommend that the venue shouldn’t be made to shut, however as a substitute ought to be pressured to “usher in new safety procedures together with crowd management” to make sure an analogous expertise can by no means come up once more.
Initially, O2 Academy Brixton’s licence was briefly suspended till January 16, with Lambeth Council saying that it might focus on the venue’s destiny once more at that date.
Earlier than the assembly might happen, nonetheless, a spokesperson for the venue’s operator AMG mentioned that it might keep closed voluntarily till April whereas investigations proceed. This was later adopted by the announcement that the suspension would final for 3 months.
Since then, a bunch of artists have been pressured to relocate their upcoming exhibits, which had been initially scheduled to happen in Brixton, with a re-opening date nonetheless not but introduced.
