A SPORTS centre costing Camden taxpayers £2.4m that had its budget cut by the council before going bankrupt and being handed over to professional squatters, is to be reopened. Camden Council has started a search for a new organisation to run the Jubilee W

A SPORTS centre costing Camden taxpayers £2.4m that had its budget cut by the council before going bankrupt and being handed over to professional squatters, is to be reopened.

Camden Council has started a search for a new organisation to run the Jubilee Waterside Centre in Somers Town, which had a grand reopening by Prince Philip after the expensive council revamp four years ago.

Last summer the Ham&High revealed that the magnificent centre, complete with climbing wall, abseiling and vast leisure facilities, had gone bankrupt and been handed over by the council to two men to live in.

The council said the pair offered security for the site, although they had no formal training and merely applied through a website.

A spokeswoman said the delay in reopening was because of the lease, which had to be resolved with the former managers. Leisure boss Cllr Flick Rea said: "Jubilee Waterside Centre is a fantastic facility and we are committed to repairing and reopening it as soon as possible.

"It has been a long legal process and I'm pleased we're now at the stage of looking for a viable and experienced organisation to take over, so that it can again be enjoyed as a recreational centre for the local community.