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SADIQ KHAN REPLIES TO #SAVEFABRIC PETITION

Includes link to scathing police report...

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has reponded to the online petition to save legendary nightclub fabric from closure.

The club's licence is currently under review by Islington Council following the drug-related deaths of two 18-year-olds at the club over a nine week period.

Set up by resident DJ and promoter Jacob Husley, the petition argues the case that the venue is a globally-respected cultural hub for dance music, which already employs stringent search and removal policies. 

Over 90,000 signatures have already been collected (you can still sign here), whilst untold support for the club has spread across social media through the tags #SaveFabric and #FabricMoments. There has also been some backlash against the police, who some claim have a vendetta against the club.

Now Sadiq Khan has released an official statement via change.org saying he has urged all parties involved to "find a common sense solution that ensures the club remains open while protecting the safety of those who want to enjoy London’s clubbing scene." 

Khan, who made a pledge during his election campaign to protect London's nightlife, also mentions his plans to employ a Night Czar to look after the nocturnal economy and claims he is "determined to do more to protect [London's clubs], as well as our theatres, live music venues, artists workspaces, historic buildings and pubs."

While these statements seem all well and good, overall the letter is rather vague on plans, and Khan does state that City Hall "does not have the power to intervene in licensing cases." 

What makes his response becomes particularly worrying to those hoping to stop fabric's closure, however, is the inclusion of a link to an article from the Islington Gazette. The paper references a police report from a Sgt. Aaron Barnes, who alledges that on one night a dubious 80% of people in the club "appeared to be under the influence of drugs”, using the claim that the bars — which, for the majority, aren't situated on the dancefloors in fabric — appeared to be “some of the quietest areas in the club”, as supporting evidence of this.