Change language
Actions
Displays
Remove from selection
Add to selection
Abstract

Popular Clerkenwell nightclub Fabric will be closed this weekend following the deaths of two teenagers from suspected drug overdoses in six weeks.

Two 18-year-old revellers have died during this period and an investigation by police and the club is underway, Fabric said yesterday (Thursday).

The most recent death occurred on Saturday when a teenager collapsed outside the club at 8.20am. He was pronounced dead less than an hour later.

The death, which is being treated as unexplained, comes weeks after another 18-year-old collapsed at the club in the early hours of June 25. He was taken to the Royal London Hospital, in east London, but died a short while later.

Post-mortem examinations on the teenagers will be held in due course.

It has been two years since there was a similar incident at the 2,500-capacity venue, a mainstay of the capital’s house and techno scene.

In a statement on its website, the club said: “For the past two years Fabric has operated without incident but tragically in the past six weeks two 18-year-old boys have died as a consequence of drug overdoses.

“In order to understand how this has happened we have agreed with police and other agencies to suspend our operation while we investigate. The club will therefore be closed this weekend.

“We will make a further statement next week but in the meantime for anyone who has purchased a ticket for the club this weekend, we have instructed Resident Advisor to refund all ticket purchases.”

Back in 2014 the club was threatened with closure, and a police review was instigated, after four drug-related deaths over three years.

The Met filed papers detailing the “unacceptable number of deaths and near-death incidents at the venue” and asked Islington Council to “seriously consider” revoking the club licence.

Fabric was allowed to stay open but was forced to introduce a series of tough security measures. Licensing chiefs made the club trial ID scanning, a team of sniffer dogs and increased CCTV.

Last year, the venue won an appeal against implementing the drug-checking dogs.