O2 Forum Kentish Town

The venue was built in 1934 and was originally used as an art deco cinema. The venue was designed by J. Stanley Beard with the interior designed by William Robin Bennett.^[1] It featured a Compton organ. The venue opened on the 17th December 1934.^[2] Originally owned by Herbert Yapp, the venue was acquired by ABC Cinemas in 1935.^[3]

After the cinema was closed in 1970, the venue re-opened as a bingo hall and later became a music venue, known as the Forum Dancehall. In 1985 it became a live music venue under the name Town & Country Club.^[4][5][6]

The building became grade II listed in 1990.^[7]

In 1993, Mean Fiddler Music Group purchased the venue and renamed it the London Forum. The final show at the Town & Country Club was Van Morrison on 21 March 1993.^[8]

From 2009 to 2013 the venue was named the HMV Forum. In 2010 the building obtained a licence allowing the venue to stay open until 6am, for Friday night events.^[9]

In 2007, MAMA & Company purchased the Forum from Mean Fiddler and spent £1.5 million on renovations, increasing the capacity to 2,300. In 2015, the venue was acquired by Live Nation, and re-branded as O₂ Forum Kentish Town as part of the O₂ Academy Group.^[10]

The venue attracted protests in November 2025, after hosting a gig by Bob Vylan, in the aftermath of their controversial Glastonbury set. Opposing groups, Stop the Hate and Palestine Coalition, held counter protests, with a number of arrests made.^[11] Stop the Hate had previously attempted to get the show cancelled.^[12]