UB40 and Goldie back gym's battle to stay open

Mum Maya said her twins had improved their social skills thanks to the gym

Reggae band UB40 and drum and bass star Goldie have backed parents urging a council to save a martial arts gym.

Kombat Martial Arts, in Stirchley, Birmingham, had a retrospective planning application to continue operating at its site rejected by the city council.

In an email, Goldie called the planning decision "questionable” while UB40 said it supported the gym's "great work".

The city council said it could not comment on a live planning application.

About 250 children, some with disabilities, train at the gym

Kombat has been based at Clonmel Road Business Park for a year and trains about 250 children, some with disabilities.

As well as teaching them martial arts, lead instructor Aimran Majid said they taught discipline and boosted students’ confidence.

"We set out to help and change people's lives, so for it to stop would be...I have no words," he said.

They want to change the use of their unit, on the site of a former factory, from industrial to leisure and Mr Majid admitted they had not got permission before they began.

"We just went with advice we were given from many gyms we know which have done this before," he said.

One of the youngsters, Jude, 11, said the gym had helped him when he had trouble with bullies.

"My brain wasn't in a very happy space and this has made me feel so much more confident and better about myself," he said.

Lead instructor Aimran Majid said they looked to boost students' confidence at Kombat Martial Arts

A third planning application has been submitted to the council, but staff said the gym could have to relocate or close if it fails.

Walsall-born Goldie, who also appeared in the films Snatch and The World is Not Enough, praised Mr Majid in his email as a “stand-up guy” doing “great work for his community”.

While Matt Campbell, part of UB40’s management, on behalf of the band, said they did not want it to close and added it was in the “public interest” for the club to remain open.

Mum Maya said her twins had benefited from the gym after they had been diagnosed with a medical condition during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"The martial arts classes have really helped their growth within their social circles at school and within the club as well," she said.