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Irish DJs voice sadness at Fabric London closure

Updated / Wednesday, 7 Sep 2016 19:57
A #SaveFabric sign has been erected outside the club in London
A #SaveFabric sign has been erected outside the club in London

Musicians, DJs and club goers have been sharing their sadness and anger at the news that London's famed Fabric night club has had its license revoked.

Islington Council in North London made the decision to close Fabric's doors permanently, after it was temporarily closed earlier this year following the deaths of two teenagers. The council described the club's "culture of drugs" as the reason for its closure.

Following the decision, which was reached after a six-hour long meeting, Fabric's owners released a statement sharing their disappointment at the ruling.

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."

An online petition has been launched with the #SaveFabric and so far over 140,000 people have signed it.

People have also been using to Twitter to call for a review of the decision, with many expressing their views that property location and development opportunities had a part to play in the council's decision.

Fabric was one of the best known clubs in London

Resident DJ at Dublin's Workmans Club Niall D'Arcy aka DJ Deece told RTÉ Entertainment that its "a shame that they couldn't find a positive resolution to the whole thing" and that he feels the "cultural context of the venue and how it's closure would affect the arts and growth of London's musical culture" was not taken into account.

Dublin-based DJ Daragh Cassidy said that he believes the council are using a "'think of the children' approach to music/dance culture" adding that it's "about the property and resale value" alone.

Many have said they are fearful of the precedent Fabric's closure will set and Cassidy acknowledged that while "clubs come and go fairly regularly" Fabric has been "at the centre of UK dance music for over a decade, so it's closure is going to have a devastating effect."

Stephen Manning, DJ and promoter with Hidden Agenda, who are behind the Metropolis Music Festival and many Dublin club nights, hailed Fabric as a venue that "lead the way with its progressive booking policy and initiatives."

Manning shared his view that the closure of Fabric will not curb people's drug use saying, "Will the closure of Fabric stop people taking drugs? Of course not, drugs are an issue and challenge for every venue and drug taking is in endemic."

On the view that the club's closure was property related, Manning added, "It appears that the closure of Fabric by Islington Council was with a view to the property being redeveloped. Islington Council's official statement included an 11-point justification which is simply baffling and unscientific. 

"It's a great sadness that the venue is closing and blaming the drugs policy of Fabric seems to be a smokescreen for other motives held by the authorities."

Their views are shared by many who've taken to social media to protest at the closure.

Others have taken to Twitter to share their sadness at the news that another club is to close, with it being hailed as the ruin of London's nightlife.

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