Almost three months after its closure by Islington Council, it’s been announced that London nightclub Fabric will reopen.
Following the drug-related deaths of two teenagers in June and August 2016, a decision was made to revoke Fabric’s licence, closing the club down.
However, following a huge outpouring of support from the public and private negotiations between the club’s owners and Islington Council, terms have been agreed today under which Fabric may reopen.
A joint statement from Fabric and Islington Council said: “Fabric has offered many new additional conditions to be added to its Licence, all of which are designed to ensure a Zero Tolerance approach to drug possession, consumption and sale within the club.
“Fabric accepts that its procedures in relation to searching were insufficient, as were its procedures to prevent the consumption and dealing of drugs within the club itself.”
Photo: Fabric
Police concerns over a “culture of drug use” in which drugs were freely bought, sold and taken within Fabric led in part to the club’s closure.
The terms of Fabric’s reopening include:
• The use of a new I.D. scanning system on entry to the club
• Enhanced searching procedures and controls
• Covert surveillance within the club
• Life-time bans for anyone found in possession of drugs, whether on entry or within the club
• Life-time bans for anyone trying to buy drugs in the club
• Enhanced monitoring and external auditing for compliance against procedures
• Physical changes to the club, including improved lighting and additional CCTV provision
• A new Security Company
• Persons under 19 years of age shall not be permitted to be on the premises as a customer or guest from 2000 hours on a Friday until 0800 hours on the following Monday or on any day during the hours that the operators promote a Core Club Night
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan tweeted the news as it broke.
JUST ANNOUNCED: @fabriclondon will reopen. Thanks to all who helped find a solution that protects the club’s future & keeps clubbers safe.
— Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) November 21, 2016
The club also tweeted to confirm that it was reopening.
https://twitter.com/fabriclondon/status/800727496434057217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Superintendent Nick Davies from Islington Police said: “We had no choice but to take action to safeguard clubbers – and now Fabric has agreed to considerable changes, I hope the venue can continue to operate for many years to come within the boundaries of the new licensing conditions.”
There’s no word as of yet on when the club will reopen, but given the scale of the changes to be implemented, it may not be for a while. In the meantime, enjoy the knowledge that one of the country’s cultural institutions has been saved.
Feature image: Carl Court / Getty Images
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