Patrick Joy

A RETIRED postie is planning to go to the High Court asking judges to stop the closure of the world’s very first YMCA club.

Patrick Joy, 74, from Gray’s Inn Road, who once did rounds from New Oxford Street to Leicester Square, has made an application for an injunction against the Central Young Men’s Christian Association and Criterion Capital Limited.

A Central YMCA club member, Mr Joy will be attending the Royal Courts of Justice tomorrow (Friday) and is applying for the interim injunction because efforts to bring all parties together to discuss a pause in the closure process have failed.

The Great Russell Street site – the world’s first YMCA and the largest gym and wellbeing centre in central London – is expected to close its doors on February 7.

Mr Joy said: “I have taken this option because all attempts to negotiate with Central YMCA and Criterion Capital have been stonewalled, and the planned closure of the club is imminent.”

Mr Joy joined the Central YMCA club in 2018 on health advice, completing essential rehab for a diagnosis of diabetes and two knee operations.

The Central YMCA

Speaking to the New Journal, he said: “The YMCA does a lot of work with local hospitals when it comes to rehab and they’re going to lose this.

“All these people that go to the YMCA for rehab will now have to go back on the waiting list of the NHS, which as you know is longer than ever.

“The ethos of the YMCA usually is to help people mentally and physically but what they’ve done here is they’ve just thrown it all out the door.

“It just doesn’t make any sense. And the way the Central YMCA told people was via an email. If you were a person that wasn’t on email you’d never know unless someone told you. I felt sorry and sick finding out it was closing. It’s a very nice place.

“It’s one of the biggest gyms in London and I’ve always found the people down there, the managers and trainers, to be very good.

“At the court we will be trying to ask what’s happened, why were the members, staff and councils not consulted, and get some answers.

“We’re going with this evidence hoping the judge will give us a hearing at another time where all the questions we need to ask could be answered.

“You simply cannot throw away these facilities because there’s no facilities like them.”

David Bieda, a member of the Save the Central YMCA Club campaign group, said: “This action has been taken by a 74-year-old who depends on the Central YMCA for health reasons.

“While he has taken on this decision independently and not a part of the campaign group, we salute his courage in taking on a multibillion-pound company. We will be there to support him on the day.”

A CYMCA spokesperson said: “Central YMCA are proactively engaged with the Court’s process and as such are unable to comment at this time.”

Criterion did not respond to requests for comment.

Camden Council said last week it cannot intervene in a private sale.