as you read the article you will see that this is not the end of the road but that they are not willing/able to renew the lease on the site in Greenwich.
A shame IMO as this was a fantastic facility. ALTHOUGH the pricing they operated made me always suspect that AEG (the landlords who own (or hold the freehold) over the whole Milennium Dome site and who operate the O2 Arena there) were absolutely nailing them in terms of what the lease was costing them.
We played 11 a side there once for work and, if memory serves me right, it was over 500 quid for an hour and a half on the main pitch there in the evening (ie when the actual academy itself was closed for the day).
Unsurprisingly it was way out of kilter with all the other full size pitches (or 5 a sides) that you can hire in London and so, despite the fact that it was bloody lovely, it wasn't exactly over-used.
I suspected that the business model they planned to operate was to keep the pricing of the kids stuff reasonable (admirable) but that they would make up the shortfall by pricing the adult use pretty aggressively (works in theory but a bit naive when you cost over twice as much as your rivals)
Anyway, it's a loss to the kids of London.
Wider point this brings up is the scandal that is the fact that sporting facilities in this country at schools have been reduced, eroded, neglected or sold altogether by greedy councils and driven by the need for land for residential use (rather than actually developing brownfield or more challenging sites in "different locations).
When you combine this with the fact that anyone who wants to do some good work for kids at a sporting club/football club whatever has to jump through so many hoops (regulation-wise) that I don't blame people for not bothering.
Growing obesity and unmotivated young people......sport's not the answer for all but I certainly found it the most enjoyable way to spend free time when I was a kid.
A bloody scandal it is. I tell thee
(on a side, and slightly cynical note, I know that him letting them use "Brand Beckham" is a pretty sizeable financial committment in itself.....but I can't help but wonder if an annual stipend from him for (say) the first 5-10 years of operating to cover/heavily subsidise the lease costs wouldn't have been all that much of a stretch for Goldenballs.....although I honestly admire him for doing something like this in whatever capacity. He's no Craig Bellamy but he's putting something back into his local area and I applaud that)
David Beckham's football academy will continue to reach children across the UK despite the closure of its London venue, the managers insisted, after pleas by parents to keep the site open.
The academy in Greenwich is set to close at the end of the year as the lease on the site, owned by AEG, runs out.
Parents, reportedly including the England midfielder's sister Lynne, have petitioned the company and 19 Entertainment, which runs the academy, to keep it open.
A spokesman for 19 said even though the site would shut it would now stage football sessions at schools around the country.
He said: 'The David Beckham Academy itself is not ending, this site is coming to the end of its lease but we are planning a more flexible model which will reach communities and schools across the country and internationally.'
Various holiday camps were held at the site as well as subsidised sessions for children aged four to 11.
The company hopes to keep the majority of its full-time coaches, although some worked part-time or were on temporary contracts, the spokesman said.
Lynne Beckham, 37, who lives in Romford, Essex told the London Evening Standard: 'There are a hell of a lot of disappointed kids here. I'm not sure what's going to happen next.
David's upset about this, but we haven't spoken about it this week because of our granddad's funeral. I don't think the closure is his personal doing.
'I don't know where I'm going to send my kids at the minute. It will be a big loss.'
The academy was opened in 2005 and has two full-sized indoor pitches.
Sharon Brokenshire, project manager of South London Special League, whose players took part in competitions at the academy, said:
'It was a wonderful thing to have an opportunity to play in that venue which had such esteem. It brought a bit of glamour to our football.
'I think they would be mad to lose it. It would be a good opportunity for AEG to keep it open, even if they lost a great patron.'
Beckham's season with MLS outfit Los Angeles Galaxy came to an end last month and the 34-year-old then travelled to South Africa for the World Cup draw and to back England's bid to host the 2018 tournament.
The former Manchester United star will link up with AC Milan in January for a second loan spell with the Italian giants.
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