Council asks Frank Bruno gym to apply for new site

A council is hoping boxer Frank Bruno will apply to run his recently closed boxing academy in one of its buildings.

The Frank Bruno Boxing Academy was set up in Walledwell Court, Northampton, to run alongside his charitable foundation, which continues to support people with mental health issues.

Writing on Facebook, the former heavyweight world champion said it was "with great sadness" the gym was closing but it needed premises of its own, which it had failed to secure.

West Northamptonshire Council, which acquired the site Bruno had hoped to use, said it recognised "the positive work" of the academy and was keen to work with it.

A statement on the academy website said it hoped to "resurrect" the facility in the future, while Bruno insisted the foundation itself would continue to run in the town.

He wrote that "due to many factors it was decided that the boxing academy needed a premises of its own to continue successfully".

Bruno said a suitable building had been found that had already been run as a boxing gym but it had not been possible to acquire it.

The council said the building in the Kings Heath area of Northampton had now been brought into its control after the previous owners went into liquidation.

"We have invited interested parties to submit applications and business cases, as required by all voluntary groups, to progress this and have not yet received an application from the Frank Bruno Foundation," the authority said.

The deadline for applications is the end of December.

The council statement continued: "We have contacted the Frank Bruno Foundation to discuss further as we understand the vital role that facilities like this one play in supporting the health and wellbeing of our residents and we are keen to work together to move this forward."

In a statement later on Tuesday, Bruno's foundation said it was contacted last week to discuss the building but this was after it had closed the academy.

"The council had at least 18 months prior to this to get this finalised but sadly to no avail," the statement said, adding the foundation had an "excellent ongoing relationship" with the council.

"We wish the eventual new tenant of the Kings Heath building good luck for the future and hope quickly another boxing club can open and provide a much needed hub for the community."

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