Brixton Academy: Structural integrity of doors ‘an issue’

Police are pushing for Brixton Academy's licence to be revoked because they have "lost confidence" in the venue operators after they falsely denied that concerns had been raised about the structual integrity of the doors prior to the tragic incident, it has emerged.

The South London venue has been closed since two people died in December following a crush at the venue.

A BBC report from 19 December, four days after the incident references a video filmed at the scene showing a crowd "pressing hard against the doors, which are buckling inwards".

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In written representations to Lambeth Council's licensing committee, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) said the causes of the incident are still not fully understood.

It said Academy Music Group (AMG) has taken "too narrow a view" of what went wrong, and claims that it denied that concerns about the structural integrity of the doors had been raised in 2020, until they were provided with documentary evidence.

In its written representations to Lambeth Council, published on the council's website, the MPS said it has repeatedly asked AMG to assist in the identification of "what went wrong" and how it can be prevented from going wrong again.

The Met Police said it wrote to AMG's solicitors on 1 March asking which of the identified causes of the incident on 15 December had been addressed, and by what proposed measures.

"AMG has resisted engaging with that request," the police statement says.

"The MPS are concerned that at the interim steps hearing on 22 December 2022, AMG denied that the structural integrity of the doors to the Brixton Academy had been raised as an issue in February 2020.

"Documentation produced at the full review on 16 January 2023… confirmed that the weakness of the doors was indeed raised in February 2020.

"Only when those notes were produced in evidence did AMG admit that the issue had previously been discussed with them."

'Too narrow an analysis'

The police statement adds that since the hearing of the summary review on 16 January 2023, AMG has focused on preventing the "crowding around the front doors of the premises".

The statement goes on to say that AMG stated that "the tragic events occurred because a large number of individuals were able to access the front doors of the premises simultaneously and enter the lobby area in an uncontrolled manner".

"AMG appears to regard the 'incident' simply as the gathering of the crowd outside the entrance to the academy and the 'uncontrolled manner' of their entry," the document states.

"What happened inside, however, is as much a part of the incident as what happened inside, if not more so: the fatalities occurred inside the foyer.

"The MPS has lost confidence in the premises licence holder. The MPS submits that it is appropriate for the licensing authority again to review the premises licence in light of all current and changed circumstances.

"The MPS invites the sub-committee to consider revoking AMG's licence."

'Huge blow to the music scene'

The Musicians' Union (MU) has said the proposed permanent closure of the venue would be "not only an unnecessary reaction, but a huge blow to the music scene in London and beyond".

“It seems impossible to believe that there is no solution to the potential for future problems at the Brixton Academy," MU London Regional Organiser Jamie Pullman said.

"It has been a hugely successful and important venue for bands for decades, and for the police to claim there is no way for it to operate safely is extraordinary.

"We need all parties to work to find a solution that will mean the venue can reopen, and musicians and the public can enjoy music there again soon”.