It is with a heavy heart that we just learned of the final outcome of today’s review on whether fabric London would be allowed to re-open following a temporary closure by the local Islington Council. The closure was ignoted by the death of two 19-year-old men over the space of 9 months.
The last month has been tumultuous for the club to say the least. It first shut down for a weekend to investigate the two deaths and was later at the receiving hand of a temporary and indefinite license suspension as the local council and the Met Police arranged for a final and full review of the venue’s license to occur today, September 6th 2016. The debate has been heated in the weeks leading up to today’s meeting at Islington Town Hall, sparked by heavy passion on both sides, with dance music fans around the world and leading members of the international dance music scene lending their voice in support both via a change.org petition as well as through personal and social network communication channels.
Editors of Mixmag were able to attend the meeting today, and just reported that unfortunately “after over six hours of debate and review, the committee decided that ‘searches were inadequate and in breach of the license’. Fabric’s license will be revoked and the club will be forced to close permanently.” According to the report, the ultimate decision was made by the licensing sub-committee. “There is a culture of drugs at fabric which management cannot control,” Licensing sub-committee Chair Flora Williamson stated in a closing statement reported by Mixmag.
The Chair of the Nightlife Industries Association, Alan Miller, stated that the organization will begin a Fund For Fabric to fight the decision with the hope to have it revoked.
