Frank Warren wants to put a museum on the site

Boxers, swimmers, gymnasts and scuba divers will be marching in costume to Tower Hamlets council offices at noon in protest at proposals to redevelop York Hall in Bethnal Green, east London.

The arena, which was built in 1929, has been the boxing home of fighters such as Audley Harrison and Chris Eubank.

Now largely used as a swimming pool and leisure centre, the site costs the London Borough of Tower Hamlets �600,000 a year and needs millions of pounds of investment.

We really want proper investment in a place that is unique, that is historic and that is internationally well known Protester Glynn Robbins

But plans to improve leisure facilities at the site, which could involve demolishing the building, have provoked an outcry.

Campaigner Glynn Robbins believes the council is taking a short term view and wants to sell off the site to build more luxury housing in the borough.

He said: "What we really want to see is proper investment in a place that is unique, that is historic and that is internationally well known."

Hall of fame

Boxing promoters Frank Warren and Frank Maloney met council officials in January to discuss their plan to create a boxing hall of fame and museum.

The council has commissioned a study to see how better leisure facilities could be provided in the area.

It says 300,000 people a year use leisure facilities at the site, but only 30,000 go for the boxing.