A series of gigs at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire have been rescheduled or switched to different venues following its sudden closure .

The Grade-II listed building was unexpectedly shut down on Friday evening after structural issues were identified with the roof.

It resulted in the last-minute cancellation of The Courteeners performance, much to the anger of fans who had travelled across the UK for the gig.

Rockers Hawkwind, who were due to play there on December 20, then said it had found an alternative venue after being told the Empire would remain closed until the new year.

And on Tuesday (December 8) Academy Music Group (AMG), which owns and operates the venue on Shepherd’s Bush Green, confirmed its short-term closure.

It said the Empire was closed as a precaution for further inspections and safety checks on December 7, and essential maintenance work will now take place.

The statement said: “We continually invest in all of our theatre venues. Safety and amenities for our customers and staff is paramount and we are truly sorry for the inconvenience this unexpected maintenance and repair may cause.

“We are undertaking remedial works and aim to be fully open within a matter of weeks.

“Our thanks to all fans, artists and promoters for their cooperation, it is sincerely valued and appreciated, especially at this extremely busy time.”

On Facebook’s The Courteeners’ page, disgruntled fans voiced their dismay. Pace Power wrote: “Trekked from Bournemouth, so fuming. Mrs birthday As well,” and Chris Convy added: “4hr trip from Wales, what a waste of time.”

At present all shows up to Hawkwind’s performance, including Kim Wilde and Kodaline, have been postponed or rescheduled.

The statement from AMG also said all tickets will remain valid until further notice for any postponed or rescheduled shows, and any ticketing enquiries should be directed to the customer’s point of purchase.

It said a further update would be made later this week.

The O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire is a 112-year-old theatre designed and built for musical entertainment and variety.

The iconic venue has a capacity of 2,000, and hosts more than 180 events per year , attracting some 250,000 visitors.