Commonwealth center to be demolished?

[oll_lewis]

From a report on newsnight (not on bbc's website otherwise I'd give a link) The ninnies that own the comenwealth centre, former home of the uncon, want to demolish it rather than restore it or tar it's roof.

The reason they give is that it will somehow help them to teach african children to read and write. Now this might sound a lot more noble had they not spent a great big wodge on expanding their club premises (ie their private boozing den).

The government at the time payed for the centre to be built and it has grade 2 listing, thankfully as a result of the listing the centre won't be able to be demolished. But what about the poor little african children I hear you cry... well there probably wouldn't have been a great deal of money generated after 'fees' had been deducted and the RCS taken the share for their administration from the pot.

What they'll probably do now is abandon the building and lo and behold it'll become derilict or some chav will set fire to it. I wish they'd just sell it to someone who could restore and repair whats not 100% and make money out of it, it was a fantastic building with a great interiour too, it's such a waste to want to knock it down.

 

[CodenameThrow]

Hey Oll, there are lots of nice buildings in London, many of which are available to hire as exhibition spaces. I personally thought that the Commonwealth Institute was a bit of a blot on a landscape otherwise comprised of mobile phone shops and Pret a Mangers. Future Uncons would be far better off held outside of minging Kensington.

EDIT: it also says here that it's a listed building?

http://www.commonwealth.org.uk/theCI/kensington.htm

EDIT EDIT: and there's a very convincing letter on that page too - take a look at the link at the bottom marked "Letter tot he Times"

It is unfortunate that the British government is placing more value on a building with serious design flaws than on basic educational needs.