Dubai's Mahiki bans guests wearing fur

Dubai nightclub Mahiki, located in the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, has followed in the footsteps of its London counterpart by banning patrons who wear fur.

Mahiki Brand Director Matt Jolley confirmed the move, saying “wearing fur involves intolerable cruelty to animals”.

“We at Mahiki Dubai fully support our sister club Mahiki London’s stance on the banning of fur,” he said in a statement to .Arabian Business

“Mahiki is about celebrating good times and having fun and it’s wonderful that by taking this stance we are in a position to help people to understand, teaching them and creating awareness around the issue.”

Jolley did not immediately respond to questions about how the club intended to enforce the ban, or whether it had yet to turn away any customers under its policy.

However, local newspaper 7DAYS reported that door staff at Mahiki Dubai would be trained to spot any fur items.

Mahiki London, which is often frequented by celebrities and British royalty, refuses entry to customers who arrive wearing fur.

The move was welcomed by animal rights group the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

"Progress for animals continues to grow in the UAE, with the Fortnum & Mason store having already pledged not to sell foie gras locally. Wearing fur is already seen as socially unacceptable in Dubai, so it makes sense that the nightclub would shun fur. Today’s consumers are thinking about compassion for animals more than ever," PETA spokeswoman Ashley Fruno told Arabian Business.