Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Gymnastics club in survival fight
One of the city’s most popular sports clubs fears for its future as it faces rent demands of almost £36,000 at at time its income has fallen to zero. Canterbury Gymnastics Club was forced to close due to Covid19, cutting off all revenue from its almost 500 members.
It seems unlikely it will be allowed to reopen until September, when the rent arrears for its premises in Wincheap will have risen to almost £40,000. With little chance of the money being found, owner and coach Aurelia Mattioli says the club is facing a fight for survival. “We’ve gone to zero income and really are in a desperate situation,” she said.
“I’ve furloughed my 14 staff and I can’t seem to get any help from the landlords, who are a huge multi-billion pound international company.”
The club has been in existence since the 1970s, but has flourished since Aurelia took over the business in 2003, moving into its current premises in 2014.
It has since won a series of industry awards, and also works with schools and disadvantaged and disabled children.
Aurelia has to pay the rent quarterly and says she has just had a bill for £18,000 and expects to get another one in September. “I do understand the rent has to be paid at some point but I was hoping the management company might cut us some slack,” she said.
“I wasn’t eligible for the £25,000 small business grant because the rateable value of our premises is more than £51,000.
“We have had to launch a Justgiving page which has gained £1,500 in donations.
“I believe our club is a huge asset to Canterbury. It would be a tragedy if we are forced to close down.”
The building is owned by the Columbia and Threadneedle group and managed by Workman Ltd. They did not respond to the Gazette’s request for a comment.