Brixton Academy is to remain closed until at least April, following two deaths at last month’s Asake show.
The incident took place when a large crowd gathered outside the venue forced their way into the show, leading to overcrowding and the gig being cancelled part way through. Two people – Rebecca Ikumelo, aged 33, and Gaby Hutchinson, 23, died in hospital following injuries last month. A third, aged 21, remains in hospital in a critical condition.
Last month, the venue announced it would be shut until January 16th. Now, Academy Music Group has confirmed it will stay closed for a further three months while investigations continue. Lambeth Council’s licensing sub-committee is due to meet on Monday (16th January) to decide on the future of the venue, and was understood to be likely to extend the licence suspension for the same length of time.
The Met police, which is leading the investigation, was also set to use the meeting to call for the continued suspension of the venue’s licence.
AMG says that it has “reflected deeply” and come to its own decision to remain closed.
A spokesperson told the BBC: “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.
“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.”
