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How safe is Sobell?
• IN the course of a recent guided tour of the Sobell Centre I was taken to the dojo and introduced to Sampson, the judo instructor. His story of how he was, as a young man, grabbed by the then judo instructor and put firmly back on the rails and how he has been doing the same for young people in the same predicament is one of the most inspiring I have heard. The atmosphere in the dojo is one of the most positive and uplifting I have encountered.
From what I was told by Barry Hill and Gordon Kerr, both of whom have worked tirelessly to preserve the centre as a vital amenity, this is not an isolated example of what the Sobell brings to the community. They then told me about the council’s proposals for redevelopment of the site; none of the various plans seemed to have been properly consulted on. It would appear they would have resulted in a reduction in facilities, seemed very expensive and would have meant a long closure during which the numerous groups which use the Sobell would have had to find alternative accommodation – if available.
It appears the dire economic state in which we find ourselves has temporarily stalled the council’s plans for this ill-considered redevelopment, but that does not mean these plans will not rear their ugly head again.
Even at the last council meeting there was talk of developing the Sobell as a “leisure-led, mixed-use facility” (whatever that means).
We need to ensure the Sobell Centre’s long-term future as an extensive community sport and exercise facility is assured.
I can confirm that Islington Conservatives will continue to support the Sobell. With elections in the offing, will Labour and the Lib Dems tell us what they intend to do to assure the long-term safety of the Sobell Centre?
Adrian Berrill-Cox
Conservative parliamentary spokesman for Islington North
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