Search for new health and wellbeing centre for Luton town centre after hub in The Mall closes

A “deserted” health and wellbeing hub in Luton town centre sends out the wrong message to passers-by, a meeting heard.

The health facility was established in the former Royal Mail premises in The Mall Luton shopping centre at the height of the pandemic.

But the borough council’s health and wellbeing board was told this use as a hub has ended for the time being at least, despite continuing efforts to keep it open.

The issue was raised during a report on Luton’s population wellbeing strategy 2023 to 2028 one-year review to consider its progress and to refresh priorities around “starting well, living well and ageing well”.

Phil Turner, who chairs Healthwatch Luton, asked about the health hub in The Mall, saying: “It seems to have closed. Is that the case? It almost gives the wrong message because it’s there. It’s now empty and has a big sign on it which says ‘Health Hub’, but it’s deserted. It sends the wrong message to people walking past.”

LBC’s director of public health Sally Cartwright replied: “It was the location where we had the coronavirus vaccinations, which we opened as part of our Covid vaccines outreach.

“We were really working on building it to become a wellbeing hub. There were several other services in that premises, such as social prescribers, and we were trying to do other injection offers in there for a while, including measles, mumps, rubella (MMR).

“We’ve been trying to keep that open to build on that progress, but we’ve had to close it for contractual reasons relating to the estates in The Mall.

“It’s empty at present. We were looking at whether we can reopen and rebrand it, perhaps as part of family hubs or build on that approach as a wellbeing hub.

“We haven’t been able to do that at the moment. We’re looking at Luton Central Library round the corner now, so we’re working on it.

“The closure is unfortunate because we were really hoping to have that continuity. This venue hasn’t necessarily closed forever, but for the time being we’ve shut it.

“We’re conscious of the vacant premises and we’re pushing to keep it open,” she added. “It’s really recognising as well that often these things take a while to get going and you build that trust. It’s not ideal. I completely agree with you.”