Jubilee Hall: its future is secured after GLL deal

THE uncertain future of a Covent Garden community sports hall has been resolved after two community led bids were considered by trustees.

Last year the trustees floated plans to sell the Jubilee Sports Hall in The Piazza but the Covent Garden Community Association got the centre listed as an ACV, asset of community value, giving people six months to find a bidder to keep the centre open.

The CGCA had offered to take on the Grade-II listed building to save it from being sold off to developers, but trustees of the sports charity instead opted for national leisure centre brand, GLL (Greenwich Leisure Ltd).

Work is expected to start at the hall at the end of next month.

The CGCA’s Elizabeth Bax said they were pleased with the decision to appoint a not-for-profit organisation. She said: “We are delighted that we were able to influence the decision to keep the Jubilee Hall as a gym and community space: so much hard work was done by the people of Covent Garden over the last year to get us to this point and we look forward to working with GLL and shaping its future.”

GLL, which runs the Better brand of sports centres, has vowed to spend £250,000 updating the gym, to put in a new boiler and heating system, and upgrade the changing rooms. The decision means members can use other GLL centres, including the Oasis sports centre in Holborn.

Calling the move a “huge win for Covent Garden”, Ms Bax added it stuck to the spirit of an original covenant signed in ‘the 1970s with landlords Shaftesbury to create a community sports facility.

She said: “This is the beginning of a new phase in the history of the building. Jubilee Hall is the only community asset in the Westminster part of Covent Garden.

“It was created by local people, and fought for by local people. The community would like to see the building used as much more than just a gym, becoming a hub of activity and wellbeing.

“CGCA looks forward to rolling up our sleeves once more, and contributing to the process of reinvigorating Jubilee Hall’s remarkable space to make it work really well for everyone in Covent Garden.”

The Jubilee Hall Trust chief executive officer Jon Giles said: “I am pleased that GLL, a social enterprise with the same values as Jubilee Hall Trust will take over.

“Not only will this safeguard the gym for many years to come – providing security for personal trainers and hirers who remained loyal to us during recent, difficult, times and enhancing members’ benefits considerably – it will also bring much needed investment which we simply could not afford to make.

“In addition it will enable our trust to continue the important community work we do within our other centres. Opening after Covid with limited cash reserves to navigate through energy and cost of living crises put the charity at significant risk of closure but we now have a brighter future ahead of us.”

Chair of the trustees Carol Martin added: “GLL offers benefits for members that far exceed anything we were able to provide, which I hope will encourage more members of the local communities back to Jubilee Hall gym.

“I’m proud of how hard Jon and his team have worked in keeping services running at Jubilee Hall during very difficult times.

“It is thanks to them and to the high regard that Jon is held within the community leisure sector, that we have been able to secure this offer from GLL. As such an experienced, well-established community leisure facilities provider, we are confident that Jubilee Hall gym and its members will be in safe hands.”

GLL chief executive officer Peter Bundey said: “This is good news for the community, staff and partners. We will rejuvenate the facilities, improve the member offer and increase membership numbers, creating a space that is welcoming to everyone regardless of age, fitness levels or financial means. We will work to put Jubilee Hall back on a level financial footing, while our social enterprise status means that any future financial surpluses will be reinvested back into the inner-London communities we serve.”