A London concert venue has had its licence temporarily suspended after two people died in a crowd crush.
Security guard Gaby Hutchinson (23) and Rebecca Ikumelo (33) were badly hurt when fans without tickets tried to get into a show by Nigerian artist Asake at the O2 Academy Brixton on December 15th.
A 21-year-old woman remains seriously ill in hospital.
On Thursday, Lambeth Council’s licensing sub-committee decided to force the site to close until a further meeting on January 16th next year.
The O2 Academy Brixton offered a voluntary closure until that date before the meeting.
Announcing the sub-committee’s decision, Cllr Fred Cowell said: “The sub-committee accepts the licence-holder’s offer to voluntarily close has been made in good faith.
“They have already cancelled a New Year’s Eve event and will cancel other events between now and January 16th, 2023.
“However, counsel for the licence-holder… accepted that a voluntary undertaking by his client is not enforceable in law were it to be breached.
“The sub-committee’s focus today is on measures necessary to prevent serious crime or serious disorder or both at the venue.
“The sub-committee is aware that investigations are at an early stage and the facts that led up to the fatal incident are not entirely clear.
“However, in the view of the licensing sub-committee, given the severity of events of December 15 2022, the risks to public safety as a consequence of, in particular, serious disorder rising from a lack of crowd control at the front doors of the venue remain high if the venue were able to operate as before.”
Cllr Cowell said the decision should not be taken as an indication as to what the sub-committee will conclude at the next meeting in January.
