The dance music world is in a state of shock after Fabric lost its battle with Islington council and the Metropolitan police and had its license revoked meaning the iconic London club will remain closed indefinitely.
The news has sent a shock wave around the world – how could one of the world’s most respected clubs be shut down? Especially when – on the face of it – plenty of other clubs have suffered accidental deaths and been allowed to carry on.
Whilst many of you might have never been to Fabric, thousands and thousands of dance music fans were brought up on the club’s mix CDs. Both Fabric and Fabriclive gave fans across the world, who weren’t necessarily in London, a chance to experience the entire gamut of dance music from some of the world’s most respected DJs.
In statement this morning, Fabric’s owners said: “fabric is extremely disappointed with Islington Council’s decision to revoke our license. 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.”
Shortly after that satement was released, London’s new mayor Sadiq Khan also released a statement: “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.”
There will, of course, be an appeal on the decision but considering property developers and Islington council are already eying up the area for redevelopment the chances of a reversal remain slim to none.
You can now read a full transcript of Cameron Leslie’s impassioned speech – who is one of Fabric’s owners – from last night’s hearing at Islington town hall here.
If you’ve got the time be sure to listen to this rejected Justice Fabric mix that has been shared by Pedro Winter. It’s was rejected because it was “too short and musically incompatible with the Fabric spirit”.
