SOME of the world's biggest bands have seen their names lit up above the doors at Oxford's biggest dedicated music venue - the O2 Academy.

Now, with shows postponed until at least April 20, the club is paying tribute to our real national heroes: the NHS.

The sign which once heralded shows by everyone from The Killers and Kings of Leon to local stars Foals and Gaz Coombes, now carries a show of support for medical staff, saying: "NHS Nobody Does it Better."

The sign is a refernce to Carly Simon's theme song for the 1977 James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me, and is being repeated at the Academy Music Group's venues across the country.

All the group's venues will be closed until April 20 - though most expect the lockdown to continue much longer.

Read more: Lack of protective gear for NHS staff 'an utter disgrace' says Oxford doctor

A statement from the group says: "At all Academy Music Group and Live Nation venues, please be assured that the safety of all our staff, artists and visitors is of paramount importance and we take our responsibility very seriously.

Oxford Mail:

The O2 Academy in Brixton also carries the message

"All shows and events until 20 April 2020 are temporarily postponed, so to help keep you up to date of plans and changes, ticket holders of any affected event will be contacted directly.

"Music and live events are the lifeblood of our industry and decisions to reschedule shows and tours are not taken lightly. First and foremost, we must all follow official guidance from UK Government, the World Health Organisation, Public Health England and Public Health Scotland, as well as local authorities to minimise the risk of the virus’s transmission. As venue operators, our priority right now is to work with event promoters and organisers, to rearrange dates for artists, and to help us do that, we whole-heartedly appreciate your support to remain positive and productive as we all adapt to the challenges in this global situation.

Read more: Oxford's Music venues fall silent

"We will update you on ways in which we are doing our part, our management team remains vigilant and we are monitoring the situation in real time and responding as information evolves. We will do our utmost to keep our venue websites and communication channels up to date with the latest show and event details and all-important ticket information. 

"Until we next see you, thank you for your patience and understanding."