NxtGen Boxing to breathe new life into refurbished Marlborough Centre

The Marlborough Centre on Marlborough Street, shuttered for safety reasons after years of neglect, reopened on Friday under the stewardship of NxtGen Boxing. The Glodwick building, once the Pakistani Community Centre, had faced demolition until Oldham Council channelled repair money into a competitive tender that handed the keys to the local boxing club.

Asam Fiaz and Ryan Lawson, who started NxtGen in a cramped room at the Honeywell Centre, say membership grew so quickly they were turning teenagers away. Their new home gives them a full-sized ring, changing rooms and space for homework clubs, while the adjoining nursery and long-running community groups stay put.

Council leader Arooj Shah cut the ribbon alongside young boxers who had helped sweep paintbrushes through the building during the fit-out. She framed the project as a test of whether residents, rather than outside contractors, can be trusted to revive failing neighbourhood assets.

The club's coaches already work with pupils referred by local schools for anger-management sessions, and the expanded hall will let them double the number of free classes offered after 3 pm. Parents watching Thursday's open session said they were relieved to have a supervised option within walking distance of several primary schools.

No long-term lease value has been published, but the council confirms NxtGen must keep the building open to non-boxing users at least 40 hours a week. If footfall drops, the authority can reopen the tender; for now, the immediate worry is finding enough qualified coaches before the summer holidays.