Shepherd’s Bush Empire in safety shut-down

London venue the Shepherd’s Bush Empire has been forced to close its doors until New Year at the earliest.

An inspection of the theatre’s roof was carried out at the weekend, with the building then closed immediately pending further safety checks.

The venue say in a statement: “We continually invest in all of our theatre venues. Safety and amenities for our customers and staff is paramount and we are truly sorry for the inconvenience this unexpected maintenance and repair may cause.

“Our thanks to all fans, artists and promoters for their cooperation. It is sincerely valued and appreciated, especially at this extremely busy time.”

As a result of the closure, a number of gigs scheduled for the remainder of the year have been affected:

Black Star Riders show on December 11 will now be held at the city’s Scala on the same night.

Clutch’s show on December 12 has been moved to the O2 Academy Brixton on the same day.

Fields Of The Nephilim, who were due to play on December 19, have moved their gig to the O2 Forum Kentish Town on December 21.

Hawkwind’s scheduled performance on December 20 has been shifted to the Coronet on the same day.

All original tickets remain valid for the rescheduled performances. Those seeking refunds should contact their point of purchase.

Scott has spent 37 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in 2014 before moving into e-commerce in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, highlights deals, and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more. Over the last 12 years, Scott has written more than 11,500 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog. He's previously written for publications including IGN, Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from news and features, to tech reviews, video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.