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Music

Fabric Releases Statement Detailing How Fundraising Money Will Be Used

It also lays out their specific goals for the upcoming legal battle.
Photo courtesy of Fabric

This past Friday, September 16, London nightclub Fabric launched a crowdfunding campaign as it prepares to appeal Islington Council's vote to revoke its license, and today they've issued a "transparency statement" about the project from their managing director Gary Kilbey.

Kilbey said that although Fabric has had significant financial success in the past, its available funds might not be enough for an extensive legal battle and the costs of keeping the club alive. Furthermore, its anticipated insurance claim has been thrown into question because of Islington Council's decision. For transparency, the club will issue bi-weekly lists of receipts and payments, and report plans for unused funds if and when the time comes.

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According to the statement, while Fabric's first objective is to re-open its doors and regain its license, it is also proposing amendments to the UK's legal licensing requirements with the goal of "saving the nighttime economy." The club is proposing that venues should not be closed because of crimes occurring without the fault of management, that venue closure in itself should be a last resort, and that police advice should not have special status in licensing hearings.

There is also a section in the statement outlining what they perceive as eight technical problems with the UK's Licensing Act 2003.

Kilbey also announced that Fabric's legal team will be headed up by legal barrister Philip Kolvin, whom he describes as "widely regarded as the top licensing barrister in the UK."

Fabric's statement comes as Islington Police Commander Nick Davies told BBC Radio 1 this morning that the police's move to close Fabric was not a "vendetta" related the club's successful 2015 legal appeal against unduly strict licensing conditions.

Fabric co-founder Cameron Leslie had previously suggested during the September 6 meeting with Islington Council's licensing cub-committee that saw Fabric's license revokedthat the police had an "entirely premeditated" angle to close the club.

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