A campaign to save the London music venue, Brixton Academy, from closure has reached over 10,000 representations to submit to Lambeth Council in addition to over 100,000 signatures on a change.org petition.
In just a few days, the music community has rallied around the campaign started by by the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), highlighting the cultural significance of the hotspot pushing music culture since the 70s.
Brixton Academy, also known as O2 Academy Brixton, attracts over 650,000 people to the UK and London with its over 150 shows a year.
Past performers include Lady Gaga, Coldplay, Fred again.., Pendulum, Skrillex, LCD Soundsystem, and Rihanna, alongside its history highlighting heavyweights in pop, rock, punk, and more.
Research has shown that the potential economic impact of this closure would be devastating, with an estimated half a million pounds worth of lost revenue being suffered by local businesses every week since its temporary closure.
The venue was closed after a crush occurred outside Afrobeat artist Asake‘s show in late 2022 that led to two deaths. In January, the venue’s license was suspended for three months, but the police and local council are now asking that it be closed for good.
George Fleming, CEO of Save Our Scene, feels the closure would result in less safe events for the community, stating, “Our worry is that if the council and government continues to undermine culture and close down venues, we could see the industry move further underground where there is not the same level of regulation or safety. All they have to do is look at what happened in the 90s.”
Sign the Change.org petition to save Brixton Academy here and check out the internationally acclaimed venue below:
