Castle Gym in ‘fight of its life’ as developer threatens future
What is believed to be the oldest gym in Nottingham is facing a major battle for its future after the site was sold to developers.
Established in 1981, Castle Gym on Caste Boulevard has looked after the health and wellbeing of its members for over 40 years. Despite huge challenges faced in recent times from the pandemic, it has remained popular, with memberships returning to pre-pandemic levels.
However, those members may now need to find a new place to boost their fitness, as rumours surrounding the future of the site were confirmed by owner and local serial entrepreneur Luke Willmott.
“What can I say? It’s bullying. We’re in a massive battle over this and it has been forced upon us. It has been hard enough in the last two years for any small business but as a gym, it has been especially challenging.
“We’ve got a hugely loyal membership who see us as a second home and we’ve actually been growing but behind the scenes there have been a lot of movements that have made an already difficult fight almost impossible.
“I say ‘almost’ because I won’t be bullied into being pushed out. That has already happened to the other businesses in here who have been forced to leave before they were ready. Well, we’re not ready. Just imagine the tonnes of kit that are in a place like this. It is a full-scale operation before you even think about signing any agreement to leave or go elsewhere.
“The shame of it all is that we’re busier than ever and we feel an obligation to look after our members and of course, our team. So we’re fighting tooth and nail against this – not just as occupiers of a historic site but on behalf of our fellow tenants who have all been left with nowhere to turn and of course, our members.
“We’ve tried to work with all parties. We’re trying to be reasonable but we’re getting more and more pressure heaped upon us as the developers try to rush it all through and tie us in knots.
“We’ve had zero interest or support from the council on this despite reassurances that we’d have time to pursue options and make a phased decision. We absolutely want to do what is right and find the best solution for staff, members and the local community but we have our backs against the wall.”
A spokesperson for Nottingham City Council told TheBusinessDesk.com that it had sold the freehold of the building in March 2020 and all tenants were informed about the sale in late 2020.
The new owner of the building is Holloway Road (Agg1) Limited, which is listed as being based in Birmingham.
Willmott added: “This place is a decade of my life. I have been quietly fighting this in the shadows and it is taking its toll on my health, the gym and my other businesses. It is a shame to see the site being taken over by developers from outside of Nottingham who just don’t get what we’re all about as a community hub but I guess they just see sq footage and yields, not members and people.”
