Hamsard and Academy Music: A Report on the Proposed Acquisition of a Controlling Interest in Academy Music Holdings Limited by Hamsard 2786 Limit

Both companies are involved in the live music industry in the UK, for example, Hamsard manages the Wembley Arena under contract, as well as owning the Mean Fiddler Music Group, including the Forum, Astoria Jazz Caf and Mean Fiddler venues in London; whilst Academy owns and manages 11 live music venues in the UK including Carling Academy Brixton and Shepherd's Bush Empire in London. The Commission's report focuses on two separate services supplied by the merging live music venue management and live music promotion services. It concludes that the proposed acquisition of a controlling interest in Academy Music Holdings by Hamsard would lead to a substantial lessening of competition in relation to certain live music venues in London, and specifies certain venues that must be sold to a purchaser approved by the Commission if the merger is to proceed.