Stockbridge ABC, a community boxing club located in Liverpool, England, known for its strong boxing tradition, had to shut down on May 2.
This action followed an eviction notice from Knowsley Town Council, which demanded the club vacate the premises and remove all equipment within only two days.
In response, head coach Sam Walmsley used social media to rally support for the gym, which has a notable history, having trained fighters like Tony Bellew and Rocky Fielding.
While social media platforms can often be sources of negativity, they can also be powerful tools for positive change and community support.
This proved true over the following day, as the British boxing community united in support of Stockbridge ABC.
Head coach Sam Walmsley expressed surprise at the overwhelming reaction, stating, “I can’t believe how much it’s blown up, to be honest.” He added that the widespread sharing and rightful public outrage were intended to pressure the council.
“This is my whole tactic,” Walmsley explained, “to apply that much pressure that they [the council] either have to reveal their true reasons or reverse their decision.”
According to Walmsley, who started coaching about two years ago, the gym`s relationship with the council had been complicated even before the eviction notice.
Facing numerous existing restrictions, the eviction news felt less like a shock and more like, in Walmsley`s words on social media, “the final nail in the coffin.”
Despite the challenges of operating in a shared building with only one-hour slots available, Walmsley commendably often ran multiple sessions back-to-back.
Now, with the gym`s fate uncertain, Walmsley is determined to fight the council`s decision.
Walmsley detailed the reasons given in the council`s email received on April 30. “The email we received started off by accusing us of subletting,” he said, calling it a “bare-faced lie” that has been disproven.
Another accusation was that the equipment created a fire hazard, which Walmsley stated was also disproven by an independent fire assessment.
He mentioned that years of conflict with the council, possibly over five years, had already severely limited the amount of equipment allowed in the gym.
The email also claimed that hanging boxing bags could cause structural damage to the beams, despite the bags having been in place on those same beams for 40 years.
Walmsley also pointed out that the building was renovated in 2018, including the installation of additional structural pillars.
The council, he noted, refused to provide a structural survey proving the bags caused issues, making the claim difficult to accept.
A fourth point in the email alleged the gym lacked insurance, a claim Walmsley refuted, stating they immediately provided proof of their existing policy.
Furthermore, he explained that as an England Boxing coach, activities like sparring are also covered by England Boxing`s insurance.
In a more positive development, Stockbridge ABC posted an update on Instagram indicating progress.
Their statement said: “Thanks to your outpouring of support and public pressure, we’re now seeing early signs of progress in our fight to keep the club alive. The council has agreed to a meeting.”
However, while the council reviews the situation – their stated reasons still unclear – the club`s boxers are currently without a training facility.
Walmsley highlighted the impact on the athletes: “We’ve got a boxer who’s preparing for their England Boxing assessment, others who’re preparing for Haringey [Box Cup], and as far as they’re concerned, they’ve got nowhere to train.”
As a temporary solution, he is contacting other clubs to secure training time for his boxers.
