Fabric: As the dust settles it's time to start talking about a public inquiry.
Like many of you, I was glued to my phone last night, refreshing Twitter for hours, anxiously awaiting the results of the fabric license review.
Although I was shocked at the verdict, sadly, I can’t say that I was surprised. Property prices in the area are already astronomical and are set to skyrocket in the coming years due to massive regeneration and development projects.
I don’t think there are many people who don’t see Fabric being swiftly turned into luxury apartments,
just a stones throw from the newly announced Museum of London project.
And here’s the point, there seems to be a lot of empty rhetoric regarding “protecting London’s nightlife” but with the fate of London’s clubs resting solely in the hands of committees consisting of a handful of people, none of whom have an interest in the cultural significance of music venues, I don’t see how that’s going to be possible.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has stated that although he opposes the closure of Fabric, City Hall has apparently no jurisdiction to intervene.
I think that it’s now time to seriously consider a public inquiry into Islington Council’s licence revocation. Despite Fabric pledging to offer drug testing, even stricter searches and even a review of music policy (seriously?!?) the licence was revoked. There appears to have been an awful lot of misinformation from those wishing to see Fabric close, and I personally believe that it amounts to unlawful behaviour.
A public inquiry would hopefully shed some light on exactly why the licence was revoked, and would maybe also help to turn the tide of turning music venues into million-pound flats.
Mike Freschezza
