Tottenham superclub Drumsheds is at risk of losing its licence after two drug-related deaths and a non-fatal stabbing on the premises.
The refurbished IKEA warehouse has a capacity of 15,000 and has hosted day festivals as well as club nights for mainly dance music. The venue is currently subject to an emergency licensing review after the Met Police asked Enfield Council to investigate.
The review comes after multiple incidents at or near the club. A 27-year-old man died after attending an event on October 12, and a 29-year-old woman after an event on December 7 – both deaths are believed to be drug-related. Another man was attacked with a weapon inside the venue on November 16th.
A spokesperson for the police said: “Public safety is our priority and following a request from the Metropolitan Police, Enfield Council held an extraordinary licensing hearing for Drumsheds, operated by Broadwick Live.”
“This follows three serious incidents at the venue in recent weeks, with our officers investigating two unexpected deaths and a non-fatal stabbing.”
At the licensing hearing, the venue was allowed to keep its license before a final decision to continue or condemn the club is made on January 7. Additional contingencies and conditions have been put in place, such as an increased police presence. Enfield Councillor Susan Erbil said, “council officers and the police will continue to monitor the premises to ensure these conditions are in place.”
The nightclub, which opened in 2023, is one of the world’s biggest and has a size of 608,000 square feet, which is about the size of eight football pitches. It’s played host to big names such as The Chemical Brothers and Four Tet. But it’s recently come under fire for overcrowding, specifically at an event for D’n’B label UKF on December 13.
Upset concertgoers complained about the crowding, unsafe queues and “aggressive” security on social media, with a petition being launched for fans to receive refunds. “Numerous people were subjected to frightful conditions that risked their safety at a recent event ran at the venue Drumsheds in London,” the petition reads. It goes on to speak about the possibility of “crowd crushing” and “widespread panic and fear” among the attendees.
A review from Music Tech put forward the chaotic gig as potentially the “worst-organized event at the venue yet”, calling its safety measures “woefully inadequate”. First-hand accounts from disappointed fans reported “ridiculous” queues and feeling unsafe.
Nightlife in the UK is in a floundering state. Research shows that over the past four years, the UK has lost 37% of its clubs, around 10 closing each month. In London, a total of 3,011 night economy business closed between March 2020 and December 2023, the most for any English region. You can read our article on the withering nightlife scene here.
