You may well have heard that the authorities have shut down iconic London club Fabric after a series of deaths by clubbers. It’s interesting to hear those within dance music’s views on it and no better opinion to digest is that of John Askew…

The dance music scene was a little surprised by the news that London club Fabric has been closed down, or at least temporarily. There are mixed media reports to why and everybody has their own opinion on it. For the music fan and clubber it’s a dent to the nightlight in London and eliminates a rich music source with Fabric one of the iconic club names which has kept strong while others have crumbled around it over the years.

We all know people take drugs at raves, clubs pubs and while it may be unfortunate that these substances cost lives people must understand the risks when taking such substances. That would seem the reason why the club has been shut down. Looking at the people within the scene it’s always an insight to gather other opinion and Perfecto man John Askew always has an interesting one. We thought we would share that with you if you’re not a follower.

If the authorities are shutting places down because of drug use, I would suggest the majority of UK workers would enjoy a nice day off tomorrow. Still, read Johns views as they do make a good point.

THE JOHN ASKEW OPINION

I stand corrected.

The Fabric closure is not due to an old cunt complained about the noise. It's actually linked to four deaths of clubbers who fell ill in the venue.

This is over a 3 year period.

So let's say the venue's capacity is 2000 people. It's open every Friday and Saturday - 52 weeks in the year x 3 years.....that's 624,000 people. I know the club is also sometimes open on Thursdays and other mid week days and then there's bank holidays.......let's say not every night is a sell out.....call it 600000?

That's 599996 visits to the club that didn't end in death and 4 that tragically did.

RIP to those 4 and sincere condolences to their friends and family.

Before I continue read this quote I found on line from one of the investigating officers - PC Steven Harrington (in the report regarding Fabric submitted to the council): “It attracts clientele from all over Europe and it would seem that the immaturity or lifestyle of these patrons leads to them becoming actively involved in the taking of illegal drugs and this could account for the disproportionate and wholly unacceptable number of deaths and near death incidents at the venue.”

"Immature".

"Lifestyle".

Closing a venue because of drug use is absurd. It is not a solution.

If the use of drugs is a reason to shut a venue then why stop at clubs? They should also shut pubs, bars, public parks, cinemas, restaurants, public toilets, roads, fields, beaches, horse boxes, airports......schools? Houses of Parliament? We all know how much MPs love chang.

Pills, weed, acid, smack, uppers, downers, sidewayzers, inside-outers - and of course dont forget booze, the biggest killer of all - everybody loves getting smashed from time to time in one way or another. Of course some drugs are legal and others ilegal and that's where the great divide occurs. It's just ironic that the ones that are the biggest killers are the legal ones.

It's horrific and completely tragic when deaths occur in clubs and as a father I know a day will come when my kids become adults and they'll be out there doing whatever they're doing while I sit at home unable to sleep, worrying, hoping - they are safe, happy and healthy. But other than providing love, education, warnings and guidance - what more can you do?

Chaperone them everywhere for the rest of their lives?

"Who exactly is that grey haired mad old man that's been following us around all day and night"?

"Oh that's just my dad - annoyingly he refuses to ever leave my side so can you please just try to ignore him".

To always point the finger at the venues and say that someone dying from a drug they bought off a dealer - maybe inside - but quite possibly before they entered the club....it's not a proper solution.
It's never going to work long term. It's just a temporary "get the press off our backs" solution for the ignorant top brass who think your reason for getting high is because you're "immature".

Because that dirty word "drugs" was involved - all perspective goes out the window. Saying a death in a club is the club's fault is just a simple get out clause for the authorities so they can wash their hands, close the case and move on as quickly as possible. They lack the understanding, patience or empathy to be open minded enough to engage in outside opion.

"Sorry about the death of your son Mr & Mrs X but you'll be pleased to hear we've closed the club that him and his immature mates went to every weekend for the last two years - so we've resolved everything".

They never mention the 599996 people that went in and out of that venue week in / week out that and continue to do so. They never spend much time on the several other people on those tragic nights that got ill but were saved because the club's staff and paramedics who were swift to react and care for them in their well equipped onsite medical facilities.

If people decide to do drugs they will get them and do them whether you're able to stop the sale of them in your nightclub / venue or not.

In Sweden the penalty for getting caught with drugs in a club is seriously harsh. So much so that you just won't find any dealers operating there or even clubbers taking their own stuff in. Yet all the kids appear to be off their tits? Answer - Swedish clubbers get high before they go into the club. This isn't something I've heard or read about. I've been there - many times - and I've seen it with my own eyes and talked to people about it.

Search people vigorously, have police and their sniffer dogs involved so the responsibility is shared. Have paramedics on site as the QRF to help the odd person that gets ill. Simultaneously the authorities should utilise more "embedded" contacts on the streets to specifically find and quickly stem the flow of poor quality dangerous drugs that are unquestionably the root cause of the deaths.

Shut clubs and people will get fucked up anywhere and everywhere else - places where help, paramedics and thousands of other people filled with a drug that makes them feel compelled to love and look after eachother - aren't on hand so instantly.

Better strategy. Perspective. Education.

I'm not being blasé about anyone who has died in a club or festival from drug use but I am saying
a) it's the drug that killed them not the venue so find the dealers that sold it and shut them down instead
b) cigarettes and alcohol are drugs and the millions of people who die from them every year never make the news any more.

Cigarettes give you cancer. Shall we ban them. No - let's just take the branding off the packets so that consumers aren't enticed to take up smoking because of a pretty picture.

Really??

Oh well that's different John, cigarettes and alcohol are completely different........ Yeah yeah - go fuck yourself you wine quaffing cigarette smoker - you're a drug user same as everybody else. Only difference is your choice of drugs is way more likely to kill you.

If, like me, you've had some of the best times of your life on the dance floor being "immature", forging long term friendships with cool like minded people - just sign the damn petition.

:: Check out John on his Facebook page here!