Holloway youth charity venue could be sold after 30 years of service
Islington Link Up - Credit: Archant
Council pledges that any profit will go to good causes
The home of a charity helping Holloway’s young people for more than 30 years could be sold off by the town hall.
Islington Council wants to cash in on the building, in Seven Sisters Road, currently home to Islington Link-Up which has been offering services for the area’s young people since about 1980.
It hopes to raise around £400,000 from the sale.
No deal has been done as yet, and it’s understood Islington Link-Up will carry on even if it is forced to look for new premises.
The council claims the building is in a poor state and will cost £50,000 to repair, while it adds that any cash brought in would be ploughed back into charities across the borough.
Cllr Barbara Sidnell, Islington Council’s executive member for communities, said: “We value Islington Link-Up and support them with a grant of £10,000 a year. For some years now we have also provided free use of the building in Seven Sisters Road.
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“But it has deteriorated over the years to the point where it needs expensive repairs. It’s a large building and our assessment is it could need as much as £50,000 of work.
“This is on top of the £20,000 we’ve already spent on it in recent years.
‘‘Our decision is that its just too costly to keep, so we plan to sell it.
“Of course we have discussed this in detail with Islington Link-Up and we will continue to work with them, as we have been doing for some time, to find alternative premises that are suitable for their needs.
“We are giving them nine months’ notice and I am sure that we will be able to help them find new, more appropriate premises by then.”
Protect
Formerly the Chi Community Centre, the three storey building has been offering training and support to young people for three decades.
Cllr Sidnell added: “Islington’s voluntary groups do a great deal of excellent work. The council has done its best to protect these groups from the deep cuts we’ve faced.
“I’ve pledged that the money we make from the sale will be reinvested into the voluntary sector to help them continue their valued work.”
