Member Article

New gymnastics centre for Leeds planned by Yorkshire-born Olympian

World-class gymnast Nile Wilson is seeking to increase participation in the sport at all levels with the opening of a new gymnastics club, named after him, in his home city of Leeds.

Located in Elmfield Way, Bramley, the Nile Wilson Gymnastics Club will be one of a network of gymnastics clubs around the UK that aim to ‘change the game’ by delivering unique and more engaging activities balanced against the requirements of gymnastics programmes. The clubs are suitable for all ages, offering pre-school programmes and recreational gymnastics for 4-16 year olds, through to adult gymnastics.

Due to open on 21st February, the Leeds venue offers an outstanding 11,000 square feet facility with state-of-the-art equipment for all gymnasts, including climbing walls and slides. It also features viewing areas with cafeteria facilities, as well as changing and toilet facilities. It will create between 15 and 20 jobs.

Grace Allison of Leeds law firm Clarion’s real estate team advised Nile Wilson Gymnastics on securing the seven-year lease at Elmfield Way. It joins the business’ inaugural 12,000 square feet facility in Dinnington, Rotherham, which opened in summer 2019.

Having been a gymnast from the age of five years old at Leeds Gymnastics Club, Nile was crowned British Junior Champion in March 2014 and the same year he became the first British gymnast ever to win five gold medals at the European Junior Gymnastics Championships. In 2016, Nile competed in the Rio Olympics where he won a bronze medal in the High Bar final, again a first for GB in gymnastics. In 2017, Nile was placed sixth in the All-Round World final and in 2018 he won five medals at the Commonwealth Games, three Gold and two Silver, to take his Commonwealth medal total to nine.

Luke Sutton, director of Nile Wilson Gymnastics said: “It’s great news that we’ve not only been able to save an established gymnastics facility from closure, but also that we will be offering a huge range of exciting programmes for all members of the family. The aim is to create a modern and welcoming club which can provide opportunities for gymnasts from around the Leeds area, and we’re pleased to have been able to partner with one of the region’s leading law firms to help us to secure this first-class site.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Emma Kilmurray .