Fabric Issues Statement: “Closing Is Not The Answer To Drug-Related Problems”
London Mayor Sadiq Khan also shares his “disappointment” with the decision to close the club.
Fabric, the London club forced to shut its doors indefinitely, has issued a statement in the wake of the local council's decision. The club was first shut temporarily while police investigated the deaths of two teenagers in two separate incidents in June and August of this year. Islington council decided to revoke the club's license at a hearing held on Tuesday, September 6. The statement issued by the club the morning after notes the job losses caused by the decision, and predicts a worrying future for night life in London.
“Fabric is extremely disappointed with Islington Council’s decision to revoke our license,” the statement reads. “This is an especially sad day for those who have supported us, particularly the 250 staff who will now lose their jobs. Closing Fabric is not the answer to the drug-related problems clubs like ours are working to prevent, and sets a troubling precedent for the future of London’s night time economy.”
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has also expressed his disappointment with the decision. Khan was elected as Mayor of the city in May 2016 having promised to improve London's night time economy. “London’s iconic clubs are an essential part of our cultural landscape,” he said. “Clubbing needs to be safe but I’m disappointed that Fabric, Islington Council and the Metropolitan Police were unable to reach agreement on how to address concerns about public safety.”
DJs, artists, and other members of London's clubbing community reacted angrily to the news when it was announced with Hudson Mohawke, Four Tet, Novelist, and Katy B among those voicing their support for the club on social media.