More than 8,000 people have signed a petition to save Farringdon’s world famous Fabric nightclub.

As revealed by the Gazette this morning, the superclub’s license is up for review after a series of drug-related deaths or near-deaths at the premises.

An Islington Council licensing committee will decide the fate of the venue tonight, and police say stripping Fabric of its licence is being “seriously considered to prevent further deaths”.

But a petition started just a few hours ago has logged 8,300 signatures, a Facebook page has garnered more than 16,000 likes and #savefabric is trending on Twitter.

Signing the petition, Melissa Freivogel, a former Fabric employee, said: “Revoking Fabric’s license would be an act of gross stupidity by the police and council.

“It’s an extremely safe club, with friendly dedicated security and very professional staff. Drugs are everywhere and closing fabric would just force more consumption underground and into ever more unsafe environments with no security or medical teams.”

Lionel Hill said: “The “drug problem” is not a drug problem, it’s a drug education problem. You think closing Fabric is going to stop drug use?

“That’s like tearing down a single church and saying you’ve ended Christianity.”

“Newsflash - the world is hard to live in and stressful and busy and people are gonna do drugs. You can either educate them or watch their ignorance kill them. Closing Fabric just means they’ll be dying somewhere else.”

Ed Grainge added: “The reasons cited for closure are not fabric specific. The clientele will go elsewhere and commit the same offences. Why single out to ruin a great club.”

In their report to the council police say eight people have collapsed from ecstasy or MDMA use at the Fabric during the last three years – four of whom died, and two of those in the last few months.

Ch Supt Steve Deehan criticised the club for not informing police about the latest death – an 18-year-old-girl in September – which could “seriously frustrate a criminal investigation”