Over the last few years we have heard nothing but an undercurrent of financial woes befalling the UK – Brexit, Covid, the cost of living crisis, take your pick. It is undeniable that councils are facing serious financial challenges right now, perhaps more so than they have ever faced, but we cannot let that take away all the premises in London – we simply will not get them back.
has launched its ‘Don’t cut the heart out of London’ campaign to highlight community spaces facing closure, either from council cost-cutting or developers looking to replace them with commercial complexes. New research from the Foundation For Future London found that the number of these venues closing is now outstripping the number of new ones opening in some boroughs. They found 46 community spaces permanently closed between 2018 and 2023 across the city.
know of two community theatres, a boxing club and a gymnastics center threatened with closure, potentially within weeks, and we know there will be more. Whatever money is saved from closing or reusing these venues must be weighed against the value they add to London’s communities.
Much is said about London’s knife crime problem and how some communities face a constant battle against anti-social behaviour. Having something constructive to do is an important factor in driving down these types of social issues. And positive activities, whether sports, art or just having somewhere to meet new friends, shouldn’t only be available to the privileged.
Whether it’s the boxing club providing free training for young people, the community theater giving aspiring actors a place to learn their craft or the gymnastics center offering affordable training to the next generation of Team GB athletes, these community spaces are vital to social mobility. as well as general happiness.
We worry about the generations growing up with fewer facilities and opportunities in their communities – who will be their inspiration, their way off the screens and off the streets? We support new construction and more housing, but at what cost? We can’t pump an area full of new people but tear the heart out of the community in the process.
This has to be about working together, about building a future we can all be proud of. Political activist Helen Keller said, “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.”
These facilities have been and are the lifeblood of their communities, many with years and even decades of history and influence – we must preserve and protect this. If we allow a short-term need to balance budgets to drive the loss of community spaces that enrich people’s lives, we will not be able to rebuild as easily, and the impact on Londoners’ mental health, wellbeing and quality of life will be costly. us much more in the long run.
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