A PLAY centre in Finsbury Park that hundreds of parents campaigned to save will close in just two weeks, it was confirmed this morning.

The Jamboree Play Hut – an outdoor playground in the park including allotment space – and the linked Treetops group at Stroud Green Primary School in Woodstock Road will close on September 30, the Haringey Independent has learned.

More than 200 parents who use the centre formed a campaign group and signed a petition to keep the building open when the plan – which includes axing eight staff – was announced in June.

But the leader of the campaign said that staff and parents have still not been told of the decision and hit out at Haringey Council for not involving them in the process.

Mother-of-three Juliette Darby said: “There's been no formal response and no public meeting – all the staff know is what they were told in June and they haven't been given any formal notice of redundancies.

“The council did a consultation but haven't given any information back to parents – they received 100 – if not more – formal responses and the unanimous message was that Jamboree was a wanted and needed service.

“There was a lot a potential here for parents to work with the council for the future – but it's a missed opportunity. It feels like the decision had already been made.”

The 37-year-old added that it was disappointing that the council had not been able to work with neighbouring Islington and Camden, whose residents also use the facilities, to keep the centre open.

The Jamboree Play Hut provides all-day play for children aged up to five, while the Treetops centre at Stroud Green hosts a breakfast and after-school club that looks after children until nearly 6pm on weekdays.

In a statement, the council said: “We know how highly parents value this service, but cuts in Government funding have meant that the council can no longer continue to fund the children’s and family services provided at the Jamboree Playhut in Finsbury Park.

“Notice of the playhut closure was given to parents and staff in June this year following the consultation on the future of children’s centres.

“However the council is currently looking for other ways to keep the playhut building open for use by the local community.”