MMA academy’s uncertain future
Council has sold training base in Wexham Road
A mixed martial arts academy which helps young people in Slough ‘become upstanding members of society’ is facing an uncertain future after the council sold its training base.
Blackbeard Academy runs a host of fitness and martial arts classes for people of all ages from a facility at the Wexham Business Village, in Wexham Road.
The community interest company had previously rented its three-storey building from Slough Borough Council but in September the cashstrapped local authority confirmed its plan to sell the building at a public auction.
This was despite a petition signed by more than 1,500 people calling for the community hub to be saved.
Blackbeard Academy coach, Nomaan Khalid, told a full council meeting on Thursday, November 30 how the club had been ‘locked out’ of the facility since the new owners had taken over the site in November.
Mr Khalid said: “Right now mental health, obesity, knife crime and gang violence is on the rise in Slough and the surrounding areas.
“The council’s main objective was to make money at the expense of losing the service provided for the community.
“We now have over 300 youth who were in the process of becoming upstanding members of society who will now potentially resort back to the streets.
“We still have an opportunity to do the right thing and save this community hub.”
Conservative councillor Wal Chahal, deputy leader of the council, told the meeting that the decision to sell the building was ‘not taken lightly’ by the council but had to be done to help pay off its multi-million pound debts.
He added: “This administration is committed to develop community assets and retain as many assets in the community as possible.
“I am happy to work with this group to see if we can find them a new home.”
Council leader Dexter Smith said the local authority could not control what the building’s new owners do with the site but added they must respect the rights of the existing tenants.
Labour councillor Fiza Matloob (Baylis and Salt Hill) responded: “However you try and paint this, this was an asset that was providing a valuable service to the community and surely the tenant should have been given a lot more respect than he was given.”
After the meeting, Blackbeard Academy coach Nomaan Khalid told the Express that the group has been granted access to its base in Wexham Road.
But he said he is yet to hear from the council about its plans to help the group find a new home.