A new dawn is on the horizon for one of Nottingham’s oldest gyms. Luke Willmott, the owner of the former Castle Gym, signaled the “first step in a new era” after revealing a plan to open a new venue inside the empty Tales of Robin Hood attraction on Maid Marian Way.
Castle Gym closed at the end of November after more than 40 years operating from its former site on Castle Boulevard. Their previous building had been sold by the council, and following the sale, an eviction order was sent to the team behind the gym, which was forced to close.
But Willmott now has his eye on a new venture inside the old Tales of Robin Hood building, in what he described as an “incredible location.” He said: “This is a new project I’m developing after having to close the iconic Castle Gym last year. That was the end of an era.
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“It’s early days for this project and there are a lot of moving parts we’re managing, but this could just be the first step in a new era for what is an incredible location in the heart of the city that truly deserves an exciting future after too many years of being effectively suspended.”
New plans have been submitted to change the use of the vacant building to allow for the opening of a gym and restaurant within it. The space has been empty since 2009, the year Tales of Robin Hood went into voluntary liquidation.
In its heyday, a chairlift would take visitors to a recreation of medieval Nottingham and Sherwood Forest. But Tales of Robin Hood, which opened in 1989, closed due to rent arrears. A Tesco Express was later opened inside part of the large building.
East Midlands Chamber company manager Paul Stuart said it was great to see the long-established gym making a comeback. He said: “While some long-established companies have struggled in recent years due to the direct impact of the pandemic, changing consumer habits and the cost of doing business crisis, others have thrived after building a loyal customer base. Through the years.
“It’s great to see a company with such a long history in Nottingham, and having been displaced through no fault of their own, still have the tenacity to succeed when trying to find new premises. The best city centers have a healthy mix of places to live, work and play, and gyms also have a key role to play in serving these residents and workers.”
Various plans have been put forth in recent years for the vacant space, but have never progressed. More recently, a project led by an independent applicant to convert the building into an adults-only crazy golf bar received planning permission. But it collapsed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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