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Dave London
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Forum’s new bosses deliver fight night KO
Search on for alternative venue
ORGANISERS of an amateur boxing show are looking for an alternative venue after the new owners of The Forum in Kentish Town knocked out their big event.
The landmark music venue in Highgate Road had been due to stage its first fight night in a decade by hosting the 10th Big Brawl, a competition where boxers slug it out in a specially-adapted ring.
The event was pencilled in for July 13 but, with 2,000 tickets printed and a cable television firm waiting to film the night, The Forum has pulled the plug.
The club’s new management, which took control last week, said it wanted to stick to music concerts.
Big Brawl organisers, father-and-son team Dave and Gerard London, from the Wendling estate in Gospel Oak, had already sold 750 tickets.
Boxing trainer Jerome Chee-A-Tow, 31, said: “We have been trying to put it on in Camden because most of the guys who train are predominantly from north London and the majority of the people we sell tickets to live in the area.”
Philip Celander, of TVI, the television company contracted to film the event, said: “We had quite a production planned. It would have been the perfect venue.”
New owner the Barfly Group, which has taken over the venue from The Mean Fiddler Group, says the organisers failed to confirm the booking.
Barfly Group managing director Be Rozzo said: “We are new in the area and our priority is to establish a relationship with the residents before we stray off and put on an event of which we have no experience.
“We would want to consult the residents before we put on an event of that kind at The Forum, which is traditionally a music venue.”
The Big Brawl organisers have vowed to continue the search for a venue in Camden.
Only novices compete in the event, staged in a ring 12 feet in diameter so contenders “have no room to run”, said Dave London.
The winner, decided by the loudest cheer, receives £10,000. |
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