Storm Eunice Tears Through O2 Arena, Forcing All Restaurants and Bars to Evacuate

All restaurants and bars at the O2 arena on the Greenwich Peninsula in south east London have been evacuated as storm Eunice wreaks havoc across the country.

The storm promoted the met office to issue a rare red warning for London this morning, with the Mayor of London advising all those in the city to stay at home and avoid travel unless absolutely necessary.

This afternoon, footage posted to social media showed sections of the tent fabric on the roof of the O2 arena being shredded by high winds, which prompted the evacuation of venues and has raised doubts about the viability of performances scheduled to take place in the coming days. The award-winning British artist Dave, who recently performed at the Brits, is due to perform at the O2 on Monday and Tuesday next week.

The i reports that all bars and restaurants were evacuated in response to the storm damage of the roof, with a member of staff from Brazilian restaurant Rodizio Rico confirming to the news outlet that those measures had been put in place this afternoon.

The O2, which was built for the Millennium and was previously known as the Millennium Dome is home to more than 35 restaurants and food outlets, such as Thunderbird Fried Chicken, Haidilao Hot Pot, and Marugame Udon, as well as eight bars.

The i reports a spokesperson for the O2 saying “We can confirm that there has been some damage caused to the tent fabric in our roof at The O2.

“The affected areas have been cleared and The O2 will remain closed for the rest of the day. The safety of our visitors remains of paramount importance, and we will continue to assess the ongoing situation and act accordingly.”