A bid has been launched to save a popular Thai boxing gym in Preston – by moving it into a former mill.
Johnsons Muay Thai opened on Campbell Street, near the city centre, in 2021. However, the club – which boasts more than 400 members – has been hit with a 50 percent increase in the rent on its premises, forcing husband-and-wife founders Alice and Thomas Johnson to look for a new base for their business.
The pair have now submitted an application to Preston City Council for permission to relocate into the Grade II-listed Maitland Mill building, on Maitland Street in Fishwick, just over half a mile away from the gym’s current home.
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In a statement accompanying the proposal, Alice Johnson described news of the rent hike as “devastating”, adding: “Franky, an increase [in] operational cost of this magnitude means our occupation is no longer feasible, therefore threatening the continued viability of our business and the club.”
“Many of our members describe the gym [as] like a second home, where they have a whole new family – a place where all members of the community are welcome, no matter their differences. It is really something special and so close to the hearts of so many.”
The club specialises in attracting female members – claiming to have more than any other Muay Thai gym in Europe – and is popular among young people, having signed up 70 children aged between four and 10 and a further 50 between 11 and 15. It says it has also developed a multicultural membership, which reflects the make-up of the local population.
The move would see the business reopen on the second floor of Maitland Mill – which dates back to the 1850s – in a space previously used for the storage and distribution of electrical goods. Documents lodged with the town hall state that the relocation is “a necessity”, with the mill providing “the perfect opportunity to maintain accessibility for [the gym’s] loyal and diverse [members]”.
The only external alteration that would be required to the historic one-time cotton mill would be a new steel staircase to meet current regulations.
Forty percent of the club’s members live with a disability or additional needs – either themselves or within their family unit – and, should it secure its future, the gym hopes to start offering tailored classes and develop a community outreach programme to benefit more residents in that situation. It is also planning to develop a youth club.
Alice – herself a former professional fighter – says: “We often refer to Muay Thai as ‘exercise in disguise’, as a nod to the hidden benefits of our sport and the environment in which we train. Our doors are always open and we strive to provide a comprehensive support network for all…irrespective of age, gender or background.”
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