Legendary London nightclub Fabric, which closed in September following the drugs death of two teenagers, reopened on Friday with new, tougher security measures. Globally renowned for its drum and bass, techno and house nights and a pillar of London's dance music scene for two decades, there was a public uproar when its licence was revoked.
Fabric finally reached an agreement with the police and the local authority over new conditions, including a raised entry age and tougher security measures. Bouncers were out in force for the sold-out opening night, supported by a handful of police, while there were clear warnings outside of the club's "no tolerance" attitude to drugs.
Kris Wright, a heavily-tattooed transport worker among the first in the queue, was unfazed by the new measures and just keen to get back inside. "I've been coming to Fabric since I was 18 or 19. It's part of your culture growing up," the 32-year-old told AFP. Like many other regulars, he was surprised when it closed. "The policy they had for searching was always one of the strictest in London," he said.
Klaudia Paw, a 24-year-old student, came with a group of friends she met in the club. "It was devastating when it closed," she said. "The energy tonight is going to be absolutely massive. It's going to be packed, though." Fabric has attracted many of the world's top DJs and claims six million people have stepped through its doors since opening in a old meat-processing area of inner London in 1999.
The decision by the local authority to revoke its licence after the deaths of two 18-year-olds made headlines worldwide. Ryan Browne died in June after taking ecstasy at Fabric and Jack Crossley died in August after becoming unwell at the club. An inquest into Crossley's death heard Wednesday that he smuggled MDMA, a drug popular with clubbers, into the venue in his underwear before buying more from a stranger inside. His death was caused by "MDMA toxicity" said Mary Hassell, who investigated his death.
"There are issues here with Fabric but this is a problem which is much wider than that," she said. The club's general manager, Luke Laws, told the inquest that it had improved welfare procedures, CCTV and security ahead of its relaunch. Back in the queue, wearing a heavy jacket against the winter cold, Paw welcomed the decision to raise the minimum age from 18 to 19. "There would be people celebrating their 18th birthdays here, getting off their faces. It's going to be so much better now," she said. But another woman, who asked not to be named, added: "Drugs are everywhere."
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