There’s hope for Brixton O2 Academy yet… so long as they can meet 77 new safety standards.
Good news for live music lovers. The Brixton O2 Academy has been given permission to reopen so long as it can meet the safety criteria laid out for it by the local council.
The venue, as you probably heard, was forced to close its doors after two people were killed and another seriously injured in a grizzly and avoidable crush in December 2022.
It’s been a blow to music lovers all over London (and probably the UK) as the venue is an iconic one, having hosted many of the world’s most popular and best-loved artists from Amy Winehouse, The Clash, Blur, and Coldplay to The Strokes, Rhianna, Lady Gaga and a seemingly endless list of others.
Since the venue closed its doors many musicians and bands, including some of the above, have expressed public support for the Brixton O2 Academy and have been joined by over 18,000 letters from the public and a petition that got 116,806 signatures in an effort to stop the venue from being closed permanently.
What Are the Safety Measures?
There are 77 of them in total so we won’t unpack each and every one. The most important points are the ones that address what went wrong for the crush to become possible.
Firstly the doors of the venue will be strengthened – The fact that they gave way in 2022 allowed for the crowd to rush forward.
Another key point will ban management from hiring security guards from AP Security, the firm that was staffing bouncers on the night, which has also faced criticism in the past for its handling of security.
Finally, the minimum number of security guards on duty during performances will be bumped up so that they can better control crowds.
No date has been given for when the Brixton O2 will be allowed to get back to business as usual, but watch this space and we’ll keep you in the loop.
Brixton O2 Reopening: Practical Information
When: Date of reopening still TBA
Where: 211 Stockwell Rd, London SW9 9SL
