Plea from Fabric boss as club faces closure over drug deaths

THE boss of threatened superclub Fabric today pleaded for a reprieve, claiming a move to shut it after two recent drugrelated deaths “would be the beginning of the end for clubbing in London”.

Co-founder Cameron Leslie made his appeal ahead of next week’s review of Fabric’s licence sparked by the summer deaths of the two 18-year-old clubbers.

The 2,500-capacity venue has had four other deaths from drugs since 2011.

Damning police reports submitted for the review by Islington council say the Farringdon club is now a “safe haven” for illegal drug use amid “management failings” — and predict more tragedies if there are not major changes.

However, Mr Leslie today said he was prepared to “lead the industry” by creating a new “gold standard” for safe clubbing in partnership with the police and licensing authorities. This would include a tougher search policy at the entrance, better training for staff to combat drug taking and dealing in clubs and setting up a working group with police and drugs awareness charity The Loop to establish new best practice guidelines.

He told the Standard: “Our customers’ safety has always been our No 1 priority.

“Any suggestion we are not 100 per cent committed to tackling drugs here is completely false. We were pioneering in the way we worked closely with the council and police on opening 17 years ago. We established honest and transparent procedures never before seen, something we are incredibly proud of.

“Closing Fabric would be the beginning of the end for clubbing in London, which is already under threat.

“In light of tragic events, we’re independently reviewing all our processes and have already proposed substantial changes. Our aim is to set a new industry gold standard for safe clubbing.”

The Met reports on the two deaths portray widespread drug abuse at Fabric and describe how on one night “80 per cent of club-goers” appeared to be under the influence of drugs, while more than half were “willing to sell them”.

The damning police dossier comes as more than 98,000 people have signed a petition asking Mayor Sadiq Khan and Islington council not to close the club.

DJ B. Traits wrote: “I am convinced onsite drug testing and information has to be the best way forward . . . not the closure of venues and clubs.”