Lifeline anticipated for West Hampstead Community Centre

West Hampstead Community Centre is anticipating being thrown a lifeline by Camden Council, guaranteeing its survival until 2013.

The council has granted the community association a rent-free long-term lease for its premises in Broomsleigh Street and said it is “very likely” to pay out �56,250 in transitional funding. The centre has also been given the go-ahead to part-manage the Fortune Green Playcentre until September next year, allowing it to expand the range of activities on offer.

Association chairman Alan Johnson said: “If we don’t get that funding it would be more than likely that we would be calling it a day. We would not have the time to make the transition to being self-funded.

“But this could be a real opportunity for the people of West Hampstead community to come together and back its community centre.”

He warned that the association would have to find a further �22,000 to plug funding gaps.

Council funding will run dry in March 2013 and Mr Johnson said the community centre would have to raise up to �100,000 to keep its doors open.