"Looking at what The Brits stands for - the 'must-see' spectacle - it was clear that moving to a state-of the art venue like the O2 was an obvious evolution," said Brit Awards chairman David Joseph.
Down The Bookies - The odds of Paul Weller winning the Mercury Prize have been slashed after a bookmaker took an "unprecedented" rush of bets from people backing him to win. William Hill dropped its odds from 20/1 to 1/10 over the weekend after what it called "extraordinary" activity. Its spokesman said more than 100 wagers of up to £100 each were put on Weller on Friday night - mostly in shops in the Birmingham area.
Weller's Wake Up the Nation is one of 12 albums in contention for the award. The Mercury judging panel traditionally decide on the winner at the live ceremony, which takes place in London on Tuesday. William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams said they were "100% sure" that nobody knows who is going to win this year. Newcomers The xx had previously been favourite but are now second favourite at 7/4.
Welcome Back - Acclaimed Japanese conductor Seiji Ozawa has opened a music festival in his native country following a nine-month battle with throat cancer. Ozawa, 75, was greeted with applause as he arrived to open the Saito Kinen Festival in Matsumoto. He conducted a short piece, the first movement of Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings.
Farewell - An early member of 1970s British rock group ELO was killed in a "freak" accident when his van was crushed by a bale of hay, police said. Cellist Mike Edwards, 62, died instantly in the accident on the A381 in Halwell, Devon last Friday. Police believe the 600kg bale fell from a tractor on nearby farmland before rolling on to the road. Edwards was a founder member of the classical Devon Baroque orchestra. "He was simply the nicest guy and a brilliant musician," Angus Gordon, the chairman of Devon Baroque, told BBC News.
Trivia - Fire has destroyed the disused Southport nightclub where drummer Ringo Starr made his Beatles debut in 1962. The Kingsway had been earmarked for demolition as part of a £9m scheme to develop a hotel, shops and flats.
(Jim Evans)
