Boxing club that gives free training to young people facing closure
Broad Street Amateur Boxing Club says they're facing an annual rent increase of £60,000 by Tower Hamlets Council
An East London boxing club that has supported young people for 138 years says it's worried it will have to close as Tower Hamlets Council wants to increase the rent by over £60,000.
Broad Street Amateur Boxing Club offers free training to young people in Shadwell five nights a week, and says they're helping keep young people off the streets.
The rise in rents comes after the clubs former lease ran out, but the club says it cannot afford the higher rate from the council.
The club was given a second rent offer at an 80% discount for 3 to 5 years. However, they rejected this offer as they feel it doesn't offer them any long term security.
The club is run by volunteers, and says they don't want to have to charge people to use the clubs services.
Ray McCallum came to the club in the 90's and has since become the clubs head coach.
He told us he wants the council to understand the roll boxing clubs like Broad Street play in stopping youth crime.
"I would just say don't be short sighted. You're looking at money when you should be looking at your communities lives and it being better for them.
"Better kids in society are going to be better all round. Better adults, everything else. They've just got to look. It's not about money."
"Sit down around the table and have a good chat and think this is an asset".
"It's not costing them nothing, they're putting nothing in, they don't have to pay so we are doing them a service and now they want us to pay for it?"
We have contacted Tower Hamlets Council for comment.
It's not just Ray who told us what a difference Broad Street was making in the community.
We spoke to Harry who has been going to the club for 11 years and says he joined after he started to mix with the wrong crowd.
"Back in the day I used to get involved with the wrong kind of people. My parents were like 'you need to find something that gets you away from that'.
"They were good friends with Ray and they offered me a place to come here and train every day and I just fell in love with it."
Harry told us the club has since become something more than just a place to keep him busy. The club was also there for him throughout person tragedy.
"It's done wonders for me, especially mentally. My dad passed away four years ago after fighting cancer for quite a while.
"Mentally I didn't know where to go and coming here every day built up that mental strength to get my mind off of things.
"This gym is everything for me".