​London venue DRUMSHEDS criticised following claims of overcrowding

London superclub DRUMSHEDS is receiving criticism over claims of “unsafe” queues, overcrowding, and “aggressive” security at a recent event.

The 15,000-capacity venue hosted the 15th-anniversary celebrations of UK bass label UKF on Friday, December 13, featuring the likes of Pendulum, Knife Party, NERO, and more on the line-up.

Dozens of attendees took to social media after the event to complain about organisational oversights such as lengthy queues and overcrowding issues, as one called it “the most dangerous event I’ve been to”.

A website demanding that DRUMSHEDS is “held accountable” for such issues emerged over the weekend, hosting screenshots of complaints from attendees, photos of crowds, and a link to a petition calling on the venue to issue refunds to those affected.

The petition, which currently has more than 1,650 signatures of a goal of 2,000, reads: “Numerous people were subjected to frightful conditions that risked their safety at a recent event ran at the venue DRUMSHEDS in London.”

“According to a series of accounts from concerned attendees, these circumstances were particularly prevalent on the path leading into the venues, causing widespread panic and fear among the attendees,” wrote Joe Adams, who launched the petition on Saturday, December 14.

One attendee and petition signee claimed that a surge began after the doors leading into the headline set were shut. “[It] was absolutely terrifying,” they wrote. “After all that queuing to see two and a half acts was a joke. Don’t know how they got away without any casualties.”

In the comment section of the petition, another wrote: “I'm still anxious as fuck, covered in bruises and feeling violated by an incompetent dog handler and security.”

Others complained in the comments of DRUMSHEDS’ recent Instagram posts about similar issues, with one writing: “I love DRUMSHEDS and regularly go, but last night was by far the worst experience I had.”

“So disappointing to be made to wait 2h+ to get into the venue (missing the artists I wanted to see) only to feel extremely unsafe in the venue,” they said. “What on earth happened?”

DRUMSHEDS' operator Broadwick Live has since responded to complaints, saying that the venue had faced “a number of challenges” but attempted to mitigate them by enhancing security procedures.

In a statement sent to Mixmag, DRUMSHEDS said: “We are aware of the concerns raised and sincerely apologise for the frustration and discomfort caused during the event.”

“Unfortunately, we faced a number of challenges on the night, including longer-than-usual queues and congestion due to a combination of factors, including enhanced security procedures. While these measures were necessary, we understand their impact and are conducting a thorough review.”

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Assistant Editor, follow her on Twitter