CONCERNS have been raised about the demolition of a “heritage building” in a Hampshire town.

Samson’s gym on Camberlayne Road, Eastleigh is set to be demolished as it is currently unused and has been closed since October 2018.

As previously reported, in 2018 the gym was at the centre of a kidnapping scandal which resulted in the owner of the gym being sentenced to nine years in prison.

Now though, a campaigner in Eastleigh has claimed that the building is part of Eastleigh’s “heritage” and should be converted rather than demolished.

Sam Jordan, an Eastleigh Labour Party campaigner said: “As it stands, it is going to be destroyed so that’s another heritage building gone in Eastleigh.

“The borough council are inevitably going to put flats in there. We can see an example of that because of the situation with the post office and the old sorting office.”

Earlier this year, plans were approved to demolish the former post office in Eastleigh high street in order to build flats and commercial space on the site.

Sam continued: “We need to retain as much of Eastleigh’s heritage as possible.

“Those buildings can be converted and changed and the historical value can be held.

“I would like to see that consideration given to all of Eastleigh’s buildings yet to be destroyed.”

As well as the gym, the demolition will also cover the “crockery arts and workshop buildings” on the site which is currently being used by Eastleigh Basics Bank for storage.

A proposed date of May 17 has been made for the demolition of the buildings.