Leading Scottish playwrights have written of the "potentially devastating" results of Glasgow licensing board's decision to close down The Arches nightclub.

An open letter on behalf of the Scottish Society of Playwrights (SSP), whose council members include the Makar Liz Lochhead as well as Davey Anderson, Kieran Hurley and chair Nicola McCartney, among others, said the Glasgow club and arts venue holds a "vital place in Scottish culture."

A letter from the venue's former artistic director, Andy Arnold, also says the consequences of the Glasgow Licensing Board decision to shut the clubbing operation would be "dire."

The playwrights' letter says the unique way in which its artistic and theatrical productions and shows are funded at the venue, with money generated from the venues successful club nights, means that closure of its clubs is likely to see the end of "productions which have received unprecedented critical acclaim, multiple awards, and, through touring, have generated substantial income at other venues across the country."

It adds: "More importantly, such productions have increased our country's reputation internationally, and inspired future generations of theatre makers not only at home, but around the world."

The letter also says that the Arches is socially important, providing a voice to a "wide range of Scottish identities from the fringes of mainstream normative culture."

It adds: "It is committed to giving a voice to those of us pushed into the margins.

"Were it to close, these voices would see a serious threat to their growing sense of legitimacy and equality.

"This letter does not speak solely on behalf of the SSP, but we also believe that it speaks on behalf of the people of Scotland, an audience demanding the most innovative, important and relevant work that our contemporary culture has to offer.

"The Arches continually meets this demand with unrivalled courage and originality."

The letter urges the Licensing Board to "reconsider its decision, with particular respect to the ramifications for the future of our arts sector, the wider impact of this decision on our culture and on our economy."

More than 28,000 people have now signed an online petition urging Glasgow City Council Licensing Board and Police Scotland to re-instate The Arches' club licence.

Last week the city's licensing board, chaired by Councillor Bill Butler, ruled the venue was to shut from midnight from Friday following the third attempt by Police Scotland to have it closed in a year.

The former artistic director of The Arches, Andy Arnold, has also written a letter to protest against the situation.

He says today that from its inception in 1991, the venue was "ploughing every penny earned from club revenue into supporting an experimental arts programme and providing a much needed resource for struggling young theatre makers in the city and developing a flagship cultural centre for the people of Glasgow and beyond."

He adds: "The decision last week by Glasgow Licensing Board to withdraw the venue's late night licence effectively strangulates that source of income and the consequences will be dire.

"Not only are long serving and dedicated Arches staff likely to find themselves out of a job but also thousands of arts practitioners in this city will be denied access to such an inspiring venue which has earned respect across the globe. "One can only hope that common sense will prevail."

Last week at the licensing board meeting, lawyers for the venue argued that almost all the police complaints stemmed from the staff alerting them to drugs finds.

They claimed vigilance in searches and their management polices were being used against the venue.

However the board announced the venue would be forced to close every day at midnight, effectively winding up its club nights and killing off its main source of income.

The Arches said the move meant the likely closure of the rest of its operation.