Essington Golden Gloves ABC moves home

A name change has also been implemented as Essington Golden Gloves ABC leaves the town to become Richie Carter Golden Gloves ABC at a gym in Bushbury.

Head trainer Carter, 43, was a successful fighter in his own right, winning a national amateur title in the 1987 junior ABAs and turning pro at 18 for 12 paid contests.

The former middleweight opened the club at Essington Community Centre on Hobnock Road 14 months ago, with the help of local parish councillor David Clifft.

More than 100 children were using the facilities weekly and the club have staged three shows, with the last attracting 400 spectators to Essington Working Mens Club.

With ABA recognition has a bona-fide outfit, their boxers entered national competitions this year, Frankie Fallows reaching the area final of the Schoolboys tournament.

But the club were hit by space restrictions at their former base, when the council decided the entrance space was to be renovated and opened as a tea room.

Carter also claims the rent on the room would have trebled had they opted to stay, so took up an offer from local businessman Wayne Harper to switch locations.

The upstairs room at Bushbury Weightlifting Gym has been transformed, as their first home was last year, and opened its doors to the public for business last night.

Carter said: "We thank Mr Clifft for giving us the opportunity to set this great boxing club up, it's just such a shame that we have been KO'd by the tea rooms.

"I hope that the tea room,with a £40,000 spend, are as successful as the boxing club and people can enjoy it as much as local kids enjoyed the boxing club.

"We were established in Essington and grew as a club very quickly. And, in the beginning, we had access to the entrance space attached to the room.

"Although this was never an agreed part of the gym, our move became essential for us to maintain classes, as we were restricted by space.

"Mr Clifft did say that there was money available to help with extending the gym, but that came at a very late stage.

"And he added that our weekly running costs were to more than treble if we stayed, so this essentially made our mind up."

Carter believes the club will benefit from the move as they have a bigger room to use at the new gym, which is on Primrose Avenue.

He said: "Myself and all my fellow coaches - John Birch, Tony Evans, Pat McGhee and Gary Sands - are so passionate about the club and our boxers.

"We were devastated at the thought of pulling it apart, but we realised that we would have a much larger gym that would cater for our quick growth.

"It had changing rooms which we were desperate for, space for two boxing rings and essential equipment which we simply did not have the space for before.

"Although the move has meant that the boxing club has had to re-invest, we feel that it is money well spent. We are a self-funded club who strive to give our kids the best facilities that we can provide.

"We are looking forward to the new season in September with 15 carded boxers, who I feel will benefit greatly from our new improved facilities."