London Roller Derby faces homelessness as community venue to shut
The council said the decision was taken "with regret", but claimed the cost of repairing the building was too high and its condition posed a "high risk of failure of vital equipment".The cabinet acknowledged the option to keep the centre open longer, but said the risks and costs were too great. In 2024/25, it generated nearly £500,000 less than expected.
Roller derby is a high-speed, full-contact sport played on roller skates, typically involving two teams racing and blocking around an oval track.At the council's cabinet meeting where the decision was taken, a London Roller Derby member, who spoke under her alter-ego Vengeance, said they would be left "homeless" if the centre closes, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported. "This is how fantastic our skaters are. We are going to be training our hearts out until the World Cup in July. Until you shut the doors, we are going to be training our hearts out in Bridge Park," she added.
Neil Nerva, the council's cabinet member for leisure, said the repair option was not good value and it was "also questionable whether it could even be achieved."The Harlesden People's Community Council (HPCC), which launched the Save Bridge Park campaign, is seeking to preserve the site as a vital community resource and cultural landmark. Historic England is reviewing the application, the meeting heard, with a final decision expected this summer.The council said it wanted to work with the roller derby team to find an alternative venue. The new leisure centre is not expected to open until 2030.
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