...continued

Upstairs, the old dance/exercise studio has been swapped with the gym, to give the latter more space. The gym now overlooks the sports hall, and boasts over 100 pieces of equipment, with such enticing names as leg curl, shoulder press, leg extension, abdominal crunch (no thanks) and, unlike the previous incarnation, it is accessible to the disabled by a special lift. Add a couple of squash courts, an expanded staff office, a Health Centre and a small café, and there’s your new Leisure Centre.

There seems little doubt that Hackney Council and GLL have pulled out all the stops, to ensure it works properly this time. Another screw-up would be catastrophic for all concerned. But there is an air of professionalism, efficiency and experience about the staff, and there appears, unlike before, to have been a lot of thought put into the interior of this architecturally spectacular building.

We’ll be reviewing the Centre in our March issue and reporting on users’ comments and feedback. Let’s hope it’s all positive.