Published
Fri, Sep 2, 2016, 10:00
- Though conceding his hands are tied, Khan has proposed changes that will "protect the heritage" of London's nightlife.
London mayor Sadiq Khan has reaffirmed that he has no influence over fabric's licensing troubles.
Speaking with Time Out London, Khan reasserts that his hands are tied on the issue, explaining that "people have been given the impression that it's me pulling the levers with fabric. And it isn't." The interview comes a few days after Khan shared a lengthy statement on change.org, in which he urged all parties involved in the issue to find a "common sense" solution.
Khan does, however, offer some hope for the future of London's nightlife, suggesting that the laws surrounding property developments near live music venues or nightclubs may change. "We can't carry on this way," he says. He explains that new regulations could be implemented that would limit nearby residents' impact on a venue's operations. "We're going to make it harder to change use," he says. "[It's] really important to protect the heritage." He also cites regulations implemented in certain parts of Australia, where "Agent Of Change" rules require residential developers to pay for noise insulation, rather than the live music venue.
"If you ask somebody who owns a a premises that is a club or live music venue, the reality is that you can sell that piece of land to a developer who will build luxury flats," he says. "And you'll have much more money doing that than you will having a live music venue."
Watch the full interview.
Sign the petition to keep fabric open here.