Posted inLEISURE CENTRE SAVE GLLC

9 days to save golden lane leisure centre

Campaign Newsletter 20 APRIL

dear supporters…

To everyone who came to Friday’s Emergency Public Meeting, you filled the room, you shared your stories, and you made something happen. The energy in that community centre on Friday evening was unlike anything we have seen on this estate in a long time. It will not be forgotten. 

To everyone who has signed the petition, written letters, shared our posts, donated, and offered their time, thank you. This campaign belongs to all of you. 

We announced on Friday night that we want you to join a march from the Community Centre to the Guildhall this Thursday 23 April to coincide with the Court of Common Council meeting. This is the primary decision making body on which all City of London Aldermen and Common Councillors sit. They need to understand the consequences of the decision to close our leisure centre for at least two years – and push through a refurbishment that no one wants.

More about this below.

The centre is set to close in 9 days. We are not done.

what we found out at guildhall

On Wednesday 15 April, we met four elected officials – Helen Fentimen (Chair, Communities & Children’s Services Committee), Steve Goodman (Deputy Chair, CCS) and CCS Officers Judith Finlay and Simon Cribbens – at Guildhall in a formal recorded meeting. Here is what was confirmed on the record for the first time:

WHO DECIDED TO CLOSE GOLDEN LANE LEISURE CENTRE
Helen Fentimen and Steve Goodman, under delegated urgency authority, in consultation with the Town Clerk – without a committee vote. Steve Goodman acknowledged an emergency committee meeting could have been called. They chose not to call one, avoiding public debate.

WHEN THE DECISION WAS MADE
24 February 2026 – 14 days after Fusion first warned the City it might go into administration. The decision was made while every other affected council in England was still working to keep their facilities open.

NO ALTERNATIVES
No alternative operator was formally approached about keeping the centre open on an interim basis. Not one. Confirmed by Simon Cribbens.

NO QUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT
No Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) was completed before closing the only SEND-dedicated sports provision in the City of London. Helen Fentimen confirmed assessments are being developed “as we go.”

Helen Fentimen’s response when challenged on the closure: “The decision has been made. It stands.” She also said – and we are holding her to this – that decisions can be overturned.

friday’s public meeting | strength in numbers

Seventy residents filled the Golden Lane Community Centre to capacity on Friday evening. SEND families, Young at Heart members, GP-referred patients, council tenants, leaseholders, elderly residents, young people – every corner of this community in one room.

  • Frank, a young man with special educational needs whose GCSEs begin next month, stood up and spoke about what the centre means to him. The room was moved to silence.
  • Veena described how Martina’s gentle exercise class – prescribed by her GP – has kept her mobile despite a degenerative spinal condition.
  • Grazia spoke about SEND provision that has no equivalent anywhere else in the Square Mile.
  • Stephen brought years of badminton friendships into the room.

The stories told on Friday are not anecdotes. They are the case. They are why this campaign exists – not for any single group or any single programme, but for a community asset that belongs to all of us and serves all of us in different ways. Every person who spoke on Friday, and every person in that room, is part of the same argument: this place matters and cannot simply be taken away.

Ward councillors Dawn Frampton, Mercy Heggarty, Ceri Wilkins and Jacqui Webster attended. We thank them for coming.

join us on thursday 23 april

Meet: Golden Lane Leisure Centre, Fann Street, EC1Y 0SH at 11:00am. We will walk together to Guildhall: arriving by 11:30am.

Demonstration: Outside Guildhall, 11:30am – 2pm

The Court of Common Council – all 125 elected members – meets inside at 1pm. ITV News will be there. Come and be counted.

The City of London Corporation is also holding its own meeting at Golden LaneCommunity Centre on Thursday 23 April at 5:30pm. This is their meeting, but we encourage every resident to attend and make their views heard directly to closure decision-makers Helen Fentimen and Steve Goodman.

banner-making workshop

We are holding another banner making workshop ahead of Thursday’s demonstration. Details to be confirmed – watch this space and our WhatsApp group. All materials provided. Everyone welcome. The more colour we bring to Guildhall on Thursday, the better.

our three demands

  1. Keep it open. The centre must remain operational until a credible, funded interim plan is in place. We are submitting a formal proposal to the City Corporation today – more details to follow.
  2. Co-design, not consultation. The future of this facility must be shaped with residents, SEND families and clinical users – not decided behind closed doors and presented as a fait accompli.
  3. Governance and accountability. The City must implement resident oversight of leisure contracts so that what happened with Fusion – years of managed decline on the City’s watch – can never happen again.

alternative provision | what the city has offered

On Friday, Simon Cribbens shared an alternative provision document setting out where the City proposes to relocate programmes following closure. We are sharing this with you in full because you deserve to know what has been offered, and because transparency is the foundation of this campaign.

We have committed to supporting City Officers in trying to ensure continuity of service for Leisure Centre Users and are sharing their latest update. But we want to be honest with you: this document offers some reassurance in some areas, but it leaves significant gaps, and a number of arrangements remain unconfirmed. We are raising these gaps formally with the City Corporation.

SEND SWIMMING
Proposed: Hackney Anaconda Swimming Club at City of London Girls’ School. Named provider confirmed. We are asking for details on coaches, timing and accessibility.

SEND FOOTBALL + GYM
Proposed: City St George’s University. Confirmed location. Awaiting programme details.

YOUNG AT HEART CLASSES (table tennis, tai chi, line dancing, bowls, ballroom)
Proposed: Transfer to Islington/GLL. Adequate for some users. Travel and accessibility for elderly members needs to be confirmed.

MARTINA’S GENTLE EXERCISE CLASS
Not mentioned anywhere in the document. For residents with degenerative conditions for whom this is a prescribed medical programme, this is a serious gap. We are formally raising this with the City.

EXERCISE ON REFERRAL
The document states 2 current users. We believe this figure significantly under-represents actual usage. We have formally challenged it and asked for the methodology.

WE SWIM
The document acknowledges the centre “doesn’t currently fully meet WeSwim’s needs.” Alternative provision remains unconfirmed.

BADMINTON
Proposed: City St George’s University for most bookings. We are aware of long-standing groups not individually accounted for. We have asked for confirmation that all regular bookings have been contacted.

600 GENERAL MEMBERS
Proposed: Transfer to Islington/GLL. This is an alternative, not a like-for-like replacement. It is not on your doorstep, and it is not your community. It is why we are fighting to keep the centre open.

SOCIETYLINKS CHILDREN’S PROGRAMME
To be confirmed. Unconfirmed ten days before closure. We have asked when families will be told.

We want to say something directly to every person whose programme appears in this list: we know how much your specific activity means to you. We are not asking you to set that aside. We are asking you to hold on to it – and to fight with us, because the best outcome for every single one of you is not a relocated programme in an unfamiliar venue. It is your centre, open, on your doorstep, serving your community. That is what we are fighting for. And if we win, we all win together.

how you can help

The City says it has no choice. We know it does. It has the resources, it needs the resolve. Please join us on Thursday and help us give them no choice but to do the right thing.

From the Save Golden Lane Leisure Centre campaign
Golden Lane Estate, London, EC1Y
email: savegoldenlane@pm.me