Clubbers will not face sniffer dogs after a popular venue won a licensing appeal against Islington Council.

In December last year, electronic club Fabric, in Charterhouse Street, Farringdon, faced possible closure after a spate of drug-related deaths.

But it was allowed to stay open under new terms: requiring drug detection dogs for 50 per cent of the time the club was open and use of ID scan machines.

Lawyers Woods Whur, representing Fabric, have won an appeal against these conditions.

The firm argued it would allow drugs - which would otherwise have been confiscated under the club’s search procedures - to remain in circulation. It also said ID machines could cause public order issues with longer queue times.

A statement released on Fabric’s website yesterday read: “Everyone at Fabric is delighted with the outcome and are very much looking forward to resuming our positive, long standing and solid relationships with both the council’s licensing department and the borough’s police, to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for our club goers and local residents.”

Cllr Paul Convery, Islington’s executive member for community safety, said: “Despite the decision, further security measures have been agreed and extra conditions have been added to Fabric’s licence to stop drug use and drug dealing.

“We will work closely with Fabric to agree the detail of these measures and to make it clear there is zero tolerance of drugs on the premises.”