Wigan borough gym forced to shut due to an £18,000 rent rise

ABC Gymnastics and Dance is having to shut its Leigh premises after seven years because they were told their rent had gone up by £18,000 a year.

The closure has left coaches, parents and more than 200 gymnasts devastated.

While the company has another centre in Ashton, many of those in Leigh are unable to travel due to parents being unable to drive or work commitments.

ABC were paying £2,300 a month but this has now gone up to £4,000.

Co-owner Claire Ascroft said: “We lasted all through Covid and were still able to pay our rent and now we have to vacate the premises by March 3.”

“Five owners own the unit and Castle Lettings look after it for them. We’ve tried to get in touch with the owners and negotiate with them but to no avail.

“They put the rent up and originally we agreed to it because it was only a few hundred pounds more, but then they put it up again.

“Our Ashton venue is a council building and a lot smaller than Leigh, so obviously some children can follow but most of them can’t.

“They are putting a small CIC company out of business and we won’t go quietly.”

Tanya Myers, who also owns ABC, said: “We’ve not even had a written contract despite asking them multiple times.

“They also wanted to bring an external site manager in which we refused as it’s against our safeguarding policy.

“It’s a heartbreaking situation.”

As a result of the closure, the club are now having to sell a lot of their equipment due to the size of their Ashton site.

Claire added: “It was fully kitted out and now we’re losing money on things because you don’t get the money back that you’ve paid for it.

“If we were to find another venue in Leigh we’d have to re-buy everything, but so far we haven’t found a suitable space yet.

“The children are devastated. For them it’s been a safe space for so many years if they’re having trouble at home and school.

“Sometimes we know before the parents if they are being bullied. There’s just no way out.”

Tanya added: “This is a safe space for children in Leigh,

“A lot of the children come from under privileged areas and essentially are being kept off the streets by coming to us.

“We are a family, we love each and every one of our gymnasts and to lose some of them is devastating.

“We’ve had to split squads up to accommodate those that are moving which means we’re splitting friends up which is difficult.”

Parents and gymnasts are also left crushed by the closure.

Katherine Brown, whose children have been attending the club for seven years, said: “I’m heavily involved with the club and run different activities. You see how many children come through that door and you’re left wondering where are they going to go now because there is nothing for them to do.

“This club has taken on beginners and turned them into British champions and to take that away from the town is awful.

“I know people who travel from Swinton to come here but they’re not going to travel even further so they can keep coming.

“To them this place is home, so while we’re making the move to Ashton it will be a big adjustment.

“Gymnastics is our life so for us not moving over to Ashton wasn’t even a possibility. My kids live and breathe it, they train every day.”

Jessica Holcroft, whose daughter has been training with ABC for three years, said: “My little girl has massive anxiety issues but when she comes here she feels so at home.

“As much as she can go to somewhere else with the same coaches, she is still massively upset because the building means so much to her.

“It’s the only place she truly enjoys coming to, we’ve tried other gymnastic clubs in the past but here she comes out of her shell.

“For us we don’t have a choice but to follow over. She can’t not do gymnastics. There is nothing like ABC.”

British champion Georgia Brown said: “It’s really sad.

“I’ve been here from the start so not coming here anymore will be different.”

Holly Fletcher, who is also a British champion, said: “It was a huge surprise and will take some getting used to.”

Club captain Evie Cass said: “I’m devastated. I’ll be moving to Ashton but it will be a change and will take some getting used to.”

Wigan Today has contacted Castle Lettings for a comment but has not yet received a response.

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