The Needs Of The Local Community
We’ve always asserted that if you describe Hamptons as a “community facility”, then it must serve the specific needs of the local community, and by that we mean the 6,000 plus people who live in Great Baddow West ward.
Who Is The Local Community ?
With the 2021 census not due for full release until 2023, our data is taken from the 2011 census. The recorded data for Religion and Population By Age are probably the most relevant indicators for assessing the needs of the local community in relation to the current situation at Hamptons :
With the two largest groups being Christian and No Religion, can the city council justify allowing the replacement of established sports and leisure uses, with a facility for worship and religious education, just solely for the Muslim population of just 69 people ?
But perhaps the prayer facilities aren’t just for the local community ! This fundraising page from August 2019, rather gives the game away.
1,000 worshippers !!! So not just the local community !
why Are Hamptons ignoring the seniors ?
Looking at population by age, it’s clear that the largest single group is the above 60 years group. This is the group that has been hit the hardest by the changes at Hamptons, with the loss of most of the social dance groups and activities like bingo, leaving a fairly substantial hole in people’s lives.
Leisure activities such as dance classes or light exercise routines provide seniors with a chance to meet their peers. If they have people around them that understand the issues around getting older, they feel heard. Leisure activities are a good way for seniors to have people the same age with whom they can share experiences.
Before the sale in 2020, Hamptons provided a huge weekly programme of sports and leisure activities, tailored to the local community.
The closure of the bars has meant that many activities became not financially viable for the organisers, and most shut down or found new venues. Despite the original claims of CMS, the closure of the bars is clearly a faith related decision, and has nothing to do with focussing on health and fitness.
In an email dated 28/02/20, Ayman Syed (CMS) reveals the true reason for the closure of the bars :
“For muslims alcohol is something we find difficult to compromise on and no matter how I've tried to look at the situation from a religious aspect we cannot do it. We recognise the detriment it might have on revenue but we are also determined in our resolve to make the centre a success. We have debts to pay and want the centre to succeed”.
Broken Promises
Looking back at the original public statements from CMS, residents were promised a new focus on health and fitness, a cafe, and a youth club. Well at least there’s finally a cafe.
No new health and fitness facilities have been added at Hamptons, clearly the priority was to get the mosque conversion completed. It is odd that there’s no gym at Hamptons, as CMS were given gym equipment by Active Essex. So where is the equipment ?
And what of the youth club, why did that never happen ? Was it because CMS insisted it must be segreagated by sex ? We understand that CMS are now running their own youth club.
We’ve even been informed that long term bookings for sports and leisure are subject to cancellation, if CMS wants to use the facilities for worship, or a more lucrative commercial booking comes along ?
That would never have happened pre 2020 !
Balancing The Need.
Although Hamptons is now privately owned, the council still has a duty under the Local Plan to balance developments to the local infrastructure, in particular to the provision of sports and leisure facilities.
What we have at Hamptons is a rapidly expanding place of worship, masquerading as a “community facility”, which doesn’t serve the needs of 98.9% of the local community.