Footballers campaigning against the Town Hall’s decision to kick them out of the Sobell Leisure Centre to make way for trampolines are determined to take their fight to the High Court.

Five-a-side footballers have launched a last-ditch legal bid to halt works at the council-owned sports hall which will see half the indoor courts converted into a trampoline park.

John Barber, whose five-a-side football team played at the Hornsey Road centre for 40 years, said his solicitor yesterday (Thursday) sent a letter to Town Hall chiefs and the managing director of Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL), the company who manage the centre, notifying them of their intention to seek a judicial review of the council’s decision to build the trampoline park.

He said he wanted building works halted and Islington Council to hold a public consultation process with centre users submitting their views on the trampoline park.

Mr Barber said: “You can’t take away a communal sports hall without consulting beforehand. People have got to be given a chance to put forward their views but the council didn’t do that. They should have done the process in the first place.”

More than 500 footballers played on the courts but were ousted last month when works started.

In a letter to the Tribune this week, Janet Burgess, the council’s health and adult social care chief, said: “The Sobell trampoline park will increase sporting activity among young people, and it is estimated twice as many people will use the space when the trampoline park is in place.

“This increase in participation is key to enabling our residents to live more healthy and active lives.”

She added that a “full displacement strategy” for those affected by the change has been developed.

• Keywords
  SPORTS CENTRES, TRAMPOLINING, FOOTBALL, FOOTBALLERS
• Geographical keyword
  HORNSEY ROAD
• Persons keyword
  Hornsey Road Sobell Leisure Centre