The UK could lose out on future sporting champions after an elite youth training centre whose alumni include the Spider-Man star Tom Holland was sold to developers, campaigners have said.
The East London Gymnastic Centre was built with lottery funding in 1997 to provide affordable coaching in a deprived part of the capital.
More than 2,000 people a week, from preschoolers to adults, use the venue for top-level gymnastics, karate and taekwondo, and some have gone on to represent Great Britain at the Olympics. The venue is also a test centre for professional stunt performers.
The charity that leases the building has been told it must be out by Christmas after it was sold to a housing developer in a deal reportedly worth more than £2m. Organisers say that hundreds of the country’s top young gymnasts could see their sporting careers derailed because they have nowhere else to go.
Claire Franklin, whose 10-year-old daughter trains at the centre, said: “There is a lack of facilities for elite-level training at other London clubs and not enough space in competitive squads based elsewhere for our children to transfer.
“Because my partner had the chance to train at a similar facility when he was young, he got to join the GB gymnastics team at the Atlanta Olympics. Years of sacrifice and commitment by families in hopes of the same goal will go up in smoke if we are forced to move out.”
As well as Holland, who attended open adults gymnastics classes at the centre, other high-profile users have included the former Team GB bronze medal-winning gymnast and social media influencer Nile Wilson, who often hires its gym.
More than 6,700 people have signed a petition asking the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, and Newham council to save the centre, which collaborates with schools and community groups across the borough to promote sport and encourage healthy lifestyles. Lucy Powell, the leader of the House of Commons, described the eviction of the club as a “very worrying development” when the issue was raised in parliament last week.
The East London School of Gymnastics, Movement and Dance signed a 14-year lease on the venue in 2020 and says the freeholder, East London Gymnastics Centre, sold the building to Linea Homes during lockdown.
Linea Homes published proposals to build 110 flats and a new gym on the site, but the plans have since been dropped. Linea is now partnered with Galliard Homes and the charity’s lease was terminated with three months’ notice under a break clause.
According to the club’s manager, Kirk Zammit, the charity raised £1.8m to buy the freehold when it learned of the pending sale but was told it was too late. “We were working with Linea Homes on plans for the new sporting venue for 18 months, but then the updates stopped,” he said. “We are the central hub for London gymnasts and a cornerstone of the community, offering programmes that support physical development, teamwork and discipline.”
Newham’s mayor, Rokhsana Fiaz, said the council recognised that the centre was a vital asset for the community and that no planning application had yet been received.
“I’ll continue to work with local representatives in campaigning with gym members and sporting bodies to preserve this much-needed sporting facility in the heart of east London,” she said. “I urge the developers to listen to the impassioned demands of the members and our local community.”
Linea Homes told the Guardian it had dropped plans for a redeveloped gym owing to the “economic climate”. It declined to confirm whether the freehold had been sold to Galliard Homes, or to identify the new tenant.
“The plans for the site focus on retaining the building and ensuring its financial viability,” said a spokesperson. “We have secured a new tenant who will bring significant health and social benefits to the community. Since agreeing to purchase the site, we have kept the existing tenants informed of our plans. We remain committed to assisting the Gymnastics Centre with support where possible during this transition.”
A spokesperson for Galliard Homes said: “There are many stakeholders, including us, who are involved in efforts to try to assist the gymnastics centre. Discussions and plans are ongoing. We are not in a position to provide further comment at this time.”
East London Gymnastics Centre was contacted for a comment.