Highbury Roundhouse bids to run saved Sotheby Mews day centre

Published: 18th February, 2011
by TERRY MESSENGER

HIGHBURY Roundhouse has emerged as a possible contender to run nearby Sotheby Mews day centre for the elderly.

The Roundhouse, a community centre for all age groups, is itself under threat, owing to fears that its base in Ronalds Road is structurally unsound.

Sotheby Mews was lined up for closure under Islington Council’s £50million cuts package but was reprieved after protests.

Roundhouse director Andrew Berthier said yesterday (Thursday) that his organisation would be putting in a bid to the council to run Sotheby Mews. He added: “We will be happy to work with the community to develop and deliver services for the elderly at Sotheby Mews.”

Mr Berthier stressed that he was not seeking an alternative base and that he hoped his group could remain at its current home.

When asked what would happen if the Roundhouse building was condemned, he replied: “It may well be there are other things we could do at Sotheby Mews but it is a different centre and a different community and we want to serve that community.”

The council will be considering bids from voluntary groups to run Sotheby Mews as an all-age community centre.

The council axed a £166,000 grant given to Age Concern to run the centre but U-turned a week ago and promised replacement cash to keep Sotheby Mews open.

Town Hall Labour leader Councillor Catherine West revealed that the replacement grant will be £55,000 as opposed to the £30,000 announced last week.

The revelation came as she and Labour social services chief Councillor Janet Burgess met the Sotheby Mews user group. The councillors agreed that the Roundhouse plan might make “a good fit” but refused to be drawn on whether they were in favour,

Fears are mounting that, because of the time it will take to install new management, Sotheby Mews will close temporarily when Age Concern’s grant runs out on March 31. Cllr West asked council officials and Islington Age Concern director Andy Murphy to arrange a “smooth transition” to prevent temporary closure but conceded that the centre’s lunch club would definitely close temporarily.

Mr Murphy said that day centre services would be preserved for a core group of about 30 people who socialise at Sotheby Mews but other activities, such as keep-fit, would probably be relocated.

Users’ board chairman Henry Bourne said: “Everything is up in the air. We still don’t know what is happening.”