Could Covid passports give Britain’s live venues a shot in the arm?

Battered venues like London’s O2 arena are pinning their hopes on vaccination apps to bring back crowds. Others worry about dividing the haves and the have-nots

An app-based vaccination ‘passport’ could pave the way for crowds to return to concerts — like Kylie Minogue’s at London’s O2 arena in 2018
An app-based vaccination ‘passport’ could pave the way for crowds to return to concerts — like Kylie Minogue’s at London’s O2 arena in 2018
BACKGRID
Sabah Meddings
The Sunday Times

A crowd of 20,000 packed into London’s O2 arena to watch Kylie Minogue shimmy around the stage in celebration of her 30 years in pop. That concert, in 2018, seems a distant memory. Now, the UK’s second-biggest indoor events venue lies quiet. Alex Hill, chief executive of AEG Europe, the O2’s owner, is desperate for solutions that could allow him to bring back the music — and the crowds.

“If it’s vaccination passports, medical passports and/or a combination of testing protocols, we will work to make sure we get our venues and shows open as soon as we can,” said Hill.

He is one of many leisure operators thinking ahead to life after lockdown. As more people are vaccinated — by the