Ex-youth club faces razing despite pledge

A FORMER youth club in the Knowle West area of Bristol could be demolished next year despite an election pledge to return the building to the community.

- ALEX SEABROOKLocal Democracy Reporter

An evangelical church has rented Eagle House from Bristol City Council for the past decade and their lease expires next May.

In the run-up to the local elections last year, Green candidates campaigned on ending the lease early and reopening the building as a youth centre.

The building is located on Newquay Road, very close to where two teenagers, Max Dixon and Mason Rist, were fatally stabbed last year.

The youth club closed just over a decade ago as part of wider cuts to youth services across Bristol. A lack of youth centres has often been linked to rising rates of knife crime.

However Bristol City Council will likely knock down the building after the church's lease expires.

Green Councillor Tony Dyer, leader of the council, faced questions about Eagle House on Tuesday.