'London's being gutted by short-sighted decisions to shut theatres, youth centres and other venues'

Over the last few years we've heard nothing but a doom-stream of financial woes hitting the UK - Brexit, Covid, the cost-of-living crisis, take your pick. It's undeniable that councils face serious financial challenges right now, perhaps more so than they've ever faced, but we cannot let that strip every community space out of London - we simply won't get them back.

MyLondon has launched its 'Don't cut the heart out of London' campaign to shine a light on the community spaces facing closure either from council cost-saving or developers looking to replace them with commercial complexes. Recent research by 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 shut down between 2018 and 2023 across the city.

MyLondon is aware of two community theatres, a boxing club and a gymnastics centre that are under threat of closure, potentially within weeks, and we know there will be others. Whatever money is saved from closing or repurposing these venues needs to be weighed against the value they bring to London's communities.

READ MORE: East London dog owner banned after letting pet starve to death tied to a tree

READ MORE: London emergency cold weather plan activated as capital could get as cold as -6C

A lot is said about London's knife crime problem, and how some communities are facing a constant battle against antisocial behaviour. Having something constructive to do is a major factor in driving down these kind of social issues. And positive activities, whether sport, the arts, or just having somewhere to meet new friends, should not be available only to the privileged.

Whether it's the boxing club providing free training to young people, the community theatre giving budding actors a place to learn their craft, or the gymnastics centre giving 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 for 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're supportive of new developments, and more housing, but at what cost? We can't pump an area full of new people but rip the heart out of the community in the process.

This needs to be about working together, about building a future of which we can all be proud. 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 let a short-term need to balance budgets drive the loss of community spaces that enrich people's lives, we won't be able to rebuild that easily, and the impacts on the mental health, wellbeing and quality of life of Londoners will cost us far more in the long run.

Get the top stories from across London directly to your inbox. Sign up for MyLondon's The 12 HERE to get the biggest stories every day