Islignton Tribune - News: Historic pool to be demolished

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Islington Tribune - by SIMON WROE
Published: 11 May 2007

Historic pool to be demolished

AN Olympic swimming pool in Finsbury that has been closed to the public for more than a decade is to be bulldozed to make way for university classrooms.
The 30-metre pool at City University, in Northampton Square, was built for the 1908 Olympic Games. In 1995 university bosses decided it was no longer economically viable to keep it open to the public.
Classrooms are to be built on the site as part of a £10 million project to refurbish the university’s School of Arts.
A City University spokeswoman said: “This exciting project will make an important contribution towards enhancing the student experience at City through the provision of better teaching facilities.”
The pool’s 1898 iron and steel supporting structures will be restored. Despite Islington council granting conditional listed building consent earlier this year, not everyone is happy with the proposal.
Liz Hughes, from the London Pools Campaign, said: “It’s a shame the opportunity to refurbish such a historic swimming pool has been lost, particularly at a time when we’re trying to increase public participation in the run-up to the third British Olympics.”
Work is expected to start next month.

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