One of the UK’s most well known nightclubs is to close permanently after its licence was revoked.
The decision to shut down Fabric was made by Islington Council in north London, which described a “culture of drugs” at the venue.
The club was closed temporarily earlier this year after the deaths of two teenagers.
The Metropolitan Police claimed keeping Fabric open would cause further drug-related deaths.
Fabric co-founder Cameron Leslie said he was “gutted” at the decision.
It has been criticised by several DJs and artists who have performed at the venue in the past.
A 28-day licence suspension was already in place at Fabric following the death of an 18-year-old last month.
It sparked an online petition with 150,000 signatures and DJs like Annie Mac tweeting their support.
A sub-committee at Islington council listened to more than five hours of material on Tuesday night and deliberated for an hour.
“Searches at the venue were inadequate,” the committee chair commented. “Deaths at the club involved people who were very young.”
In its report, the council said: “The extent of the drug use was such that security and staff would have or should have been able to observe not only the use of drugs but also the effect of drug use on a large number of patrons.”
Over the past four years there have been six deaths in relation to Fabric, five of those were people under 25.
The decision is expected to have a huge implication on the London nightlife scene, as well as other cities across the UK.
“If it wasn’t for places like Fabric we wouldn’t have any of our cultural assets,” said Alan Miller, chairman of the Night Time Industries Association.
“We’re going to challenge this. This is unacceptable. This isn’t the last word.”
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has criticised the decision to close the club and has issued a warning about the decline of the city’s nightlife.
“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.
“As a result of this decision, thousands of people who enjoyed going to Fabric as an essential part of London’s nightlife will lose out.
“The issues faced by Fabric point to a wider problem of how we protect London’s night-time economy, while ensuring it is safe and enjoyable for everyone.”
The mayor says that London has lost 50% of its nightclubs and 40% of its live music venues over the last eight years.
“This decline must stop if London is to retain its status as a 24-hour city with a world-class nightlife,” he said. (bbc News)
