91热爆

A state-of-the-art spa facility has been built in York Hall to replace the building's eighty-year-old Victorian-style Turkish baths.

'Spa London' is a joint project between Tower Hamlets Council and Greenwich Leisure Limited, a non-profit-making company that provides sports facilities in London.

It is the country's first fully-equipped public-sector spa. Andy McCabe, Director of Operations at Greenwich Leisure Limited, told 91热爆 London that similar facilities will be built elsewhere in London if it is a success.

York Hall is most famously known as the venue for boxing matches. The building also houses a gym and the council's incontinence laundry service.

Nevertheless, the unlikely surroundings now contain a facility that rivals many of London鈥檚 private spas.

Too expensive for some?

The services at Spa London include a steam room, sauna and relaxation zone, which are available at a steep discount for Tower Hamlets residents - 拢6 for concessions and 拢15 for everyone else.

Other treatments, such as massages, are charged at much higher commercial rates - up to 拢95 for a hot stone massage. Tower Hamlets Council says the profits from those services will help subsidise the steam room and sauna for local residents.

"It's not just the price and access which are disappointing" complains Chris, "but also that decades of tradition have been overturned by bringing in a luxury spa that isn't in keeping with the area".

Joanna Buick, another regular user of the former Turkish baths, agrees that they have lost their character: "Many local community users of the baths are hurt, angry and sad," she said.

"The target user group seems to be wealthy people ... People who've been coming to York Hall Baths for years will either not come back, or if they do find the money to come, they won't interact and share in the ways they did in the past."

Newham and Tower Hamlets reporter Angela Saini filmed inside Spa London. To watch her report, click on the link at the top right of this page.

angela.saini@bbc.co.uk