AN activity centre which provides company and comfort to hundreds of pensioners will close for good this week.

Members of Lion Walk Activity Centre, in Colchester, said they were disappointed their meetings with Colchester Council had not resulted in a U-turn.

Many said they would not be moving to Age Concern Colchester, on North Hill.

One member, who did not wish to be named, said: “The new premises have nothing on what we have now. They pass it off as a replacement but it’s not.

"It’s more than disappointing. I shall not be going. I will go and have a look but the facilities are not the same and I know many others won’t be going either.”

Colchester Council revealed in August it was considering closing the centre, which has run since 1977.

It blamed a shortfall in funding of £76,900 a year and said they were doubling up activities with Age Concern Colchester which resulted in low membership.

Officers and councillors held meetings to answer members’ questions in September and October, but many said they were disappointed the council would not reconsider its decision.

But another member, who has been going to Lion Walk Activity Centre for 15 years, said: “It’s trying to get a shoebox into a match box.

“The people at Age Concern are lovely and trying to do their best with what they have got. I have no complaints there. But it really is the whole attitude of the council. It was not done well at all.”

Lion Walk Activity Centre’s current 180 members range from 50 to 99-years-old.

Age Concern Colchester said it would be offering all Lion Walk activities and more. Classes have been moving across and the council-run centre will close Friday.

One volunteer said the move would see people who simply go for conversation and a hot meal left isolated.

She said: “The council has no conscience about what it is doing to the elderly. It’s devastating. We are talking about lonely people and they don’t know how they will cope.”

Tina Bourne (Lab), portfolio holder for housing and communities, said the decision had been taken after “careful consideration”.

She said: “This is not a decision we have taken lightly, however, I truly believe by joining together, rather than having two competing facilities so close together, we can enhance the services and support to our older people in a much more sustainable way.

“We are working with the charity towards a smooth transition to the new premises by the end of the week, and through providing a £45,000 grant over the next two years we can ensure the centre can continue to grow for the benefit of everyone.”