Joe GallopThe O2 Academy Brixton (cap. 4,921) has been given the green light to hold a series of test events before officially reopening, following last December’s fatal crowd crush.
Last week’s two-day hearing saw Lambeth Council give permission for the venue to operate again as long as 77 operating and licensing conditions are met.
The Grade II listed venue has been closed since 15 December when a crowd crush during a show by Nigerian artist Asake resulted in two deaths and the serious injury of a third person who remains hospitalised.
The venue’s operator Academy Music Group (AMG) said in a statement, “Over the past nine months the venue’s importance to the local community and the live music scene in the UK has been made clear through first-hand professional testimony, campaigns, and petitions as well as economic assessments demonstrating the financial impact to the surrounding area caused by the closure.
“Working at a senior level with experts across all disciplines, AMG presented a comprehensive, multi-faceted response for the licensing authorities to support their case for the safe and secure reopening of the venue.”
Reopening dates and schedules for the first shows are yet to be announced.