Instructor hit by leisure centre closure converts Sunnybrow chapel

Samuel Bainbridge ran a popular Muay Thai class for several years at Glenholme Leisure Centre, in Crook, before it was closed by Durham County Council in October 2011.

The 32-year-old, who won numerous British, European and world championships as an amateur, was left without a base from which to teach his beloved martial arts.

But now Mr Bainbridge, who was born and raised in Willington, has found a new place to teach and at the same time is breathing life back into a disused landmark.

Mr Bainbridge, who works as an engineer as well as teaching martial arts, bought the former Methodist Chapel on Front Street in Sunnybrow in January has now received planning permission to re-open it as a gym.

He has spent several months working on the building installing a new martial arts centre and neighbouring weights room.

Mr Bainbridge said: “The chapel was in a poor state of repair.

“The floor in the main hall was full of dry rot and needed replacing and there has been a lot of internal work needed, but the outside looks just the same.

“I want to try and keep it as it is because it has been a part of the community for a long time.”

Mr Bainbridge has been practising martial arts since he was 20 and went on to have six fights as a professional, all of which he won.

He started teaching in 2009 at leisure centres around the area and said the closure of Glenholme came as a big blow.

He said: “I had 20 people coming week in week out so to lose that space was really upsetting.

“I’d been looking for somewhere I could make my own for a while and when I saw the chapel I knew at once I could make it work.

“I really want the community to use it and am also inviting other martial arts instructors to use it for their classes.”

Mr Bainbridge runs classes from 7pm to 8.30pm Mondays and Wednesdays and 6.30pm to 8pm on Fridays.

For more information, email samuelbainbridge@btinternet.com or call 07747-061-094.