London mayor says nightlife at risk after Fabric club shut

London’s mayor said Wednesday that the British capital’s status as a nightlife hub is under threat, after one of the city’s most famous nightclubs was ordered to close following drug-related incidents.

Local authority Islington Council revoked the license of the Fabric nightclub early Wednesday, saying staff had failed to control a “culture of drug use” on the premises. The club was closed temporarily after the deaths of two teenagers from suspected drug overdoses earlier this year.

London’s Metropolitan Police supported the decision to shutter the club, but the move was condemned by DJs, musicians and London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

Khan said “London’s iconic clubs are an essential part of our cultural landscape.” He said the case highlighted the problem of “how we protect London’s night-time economy, while ensuring it is safe and enjoyable for everyone.”

Khan said half London’s nightclubs and 40 per cent of live music venues have shut in the last eight years.

“This decline must stop if London is to retain its status as a 24-hour city with a world-class nightlife,” he said.

Fabric opened in 1999 near London’s Smithfield meat market and was considered one of the world’s leading dance music venues.