Bosses at the O2 Victoria Warehouse have been given six weeks to save their licence after a critical inspection – following a fiery town hall meeting. 

Inspectors raised concerns about the safety of the first floor balcony and mezzanine floor, forcing the venue to reduce its capacity from 660 to 25 in August. 

It follows concerns raised by Trafford council’s environmental team about crime and disorder, public safety, the ‘prevention of public nuisance’ and the ‘protection of children from harm’ at the venue, taken over by Academy Music Group (AMG) Ltd in 2019. 

They visited the Trafford Park venue following the incident at the O2 Academy Brixton in London in December 2022 when a security guard and a mother-of-two lost their lives in a crush.

Environmental officer Nicola Duckworth said in a report AMG has ‘failed to maintain a safe and secure premises which are fit and suitable for the purposes for which it has been granted a licence’. 

She added: “There is no evidence that AMG has sought to obtain any information prior to our involvement in relation to the structural integrity of the building that they are using for the activities listed in the licence.

“There is no evidence that there have been any ongoing structural checks carried out during the time the premises have been occupied by AMG.”

Trafford’s licensing sub-committee were told about the issues on Friday (October 20). AMG bosses were warned they face losing their licence.

Following a lengthy discussion, during which AMG’s solicitor Phil Crier accused the town hall’s legal team of dropping a ‘bombshell’ and ‘hijacking’ the proceedings, the hearing was adjourned until December 11.

The solicitor for the licensing authority Trafford, James Parry, told the sub-committee ‘all options’ were open and read details from Ms Duckworth’s statement. 

She said medical facilities were ‘unclean’ and that staff did not meet the requirements of The Purple Guide, published by the Health and Safety Executive to provide guidance for event organisers, 

“The medical assessment which had been carried out was very general and the staff on the site were not qualified to the level required,” she added. 

“Issues relating to the [lack of] provision of hot water were also noted.”

Her statement said there appeared to be a lack of control over how many people were able to access the first-floor level of the building.

“Whilst a steward was positioned at the bottom of the staircase, he did not appear to have any means of counting or instruction on numbers that he was to allow up onto the first floor,” Ms Duckworth wrote. 

Due to safety concerns about the balcony, management at the venue were asked reduce the number of people allowed on it from 660 to 25.

Safety concerns were also raised about queuing outside the venue and events which clashed with Manchester United matches.

Normally, people waiting to get into the venue queue in the car park, rather than on the busy Trafford Wharf Road, where they are in danger of being hit by traffic. But on match days, the car park is used by football fans and people were forced to queue on the road.

Ms Duckworth said it had been discovered that Trafford council had not issued paperwork to change the use of the building from a warehouse to music venue.

She went on: “Further structural calculations were passed to Trafford council’s structural engineers, who have reviewed all the documentation which has been passed to us.

“They are of the opinion that there are still gaps in the information which has been provided and therefore we think this does not prove that the first-floor level of the building is safe for the activities which it being used for.”

Council officers  suggested bosses hadn’t taken properly considered the risks posed by acts of terrorism. “The documentation does not take into consideration the risks which may be posed from acts of terrorism and how it can implement the upcoming requirements of the protect duty,” Ms Duckworth said.

All venues will soon have to ensure they comply with the requirements of the upcoming protect duty, in the wake of the Manchester Arena attack under Martyn’s Law. Ms Duckworth also said documentation provided by AMG does not sufficiently address any impact on the surrounding neighbourhood. 

“The documentation provided does not take into account the risks posed by people being in a crowded space, nor does it show how the venue manages the safety of all people in relation to acts of terrorism,” she added. 

She said some events held at the venue allow children from the age of 14 onto the premises accompanied by an adult. Ms Duckworth wrote: “I have concluded that the operation of the premises does not promote the licensing objectives and creates risks to public safety and children in circumstances where there is a risk of crime and disorder and public nuisance.”

Appealing for an adjournment, Mr Crier told chair of the sub-committee Coun David Jarman AMG had only submitted its new documentation this week and that there had not been time for it to be ‘adequately reviewed’. 

“At no time has there been any indication that [this hearing] was anything other than a decision about conditions [how the venue would operate],” he said.

“This is the premier music venue operator in the country. To be in a situation where effectively this is hearing is a question of whether it should operate at all is extraordinary.

“AMG has 19 music venues across the country, and operates them successfully. We’ve come through the situation a Brixton and persuaded the licensing authority it was suitable for AMG to continue with revised conditions. This wasn’t [meant to be] about revoking the licence.

“There’s a hell of a lot more [information] we can provide to the sub-committee before you go down the road of revoking the licence. 

“I don’t think it’s in any way appropriate for the licensing authority [Trafford council] to be putting a company in a position that its licence should be in jeopardy.”

Town hall solicitor Mr Parry responded: “Once a review [of a licence] has been lodged, all options are open [to the sub-committee].”

After a short adjournment, Coun Jarman granted an adjournment in the interests of giving AMG a fair hearing.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service has contacted AMG for comment.