Property company which acquired Buxton Museum, Cavendish Arcade and Hardwick hall - adds Buxton Sports Centre to ever growing list
The property company which has acquired the former Buxton Museum and Art Gallery, as well the Cavendish Arcade and Hardwick hall has now added Buxton Sports Centre in Harpur Hill to its ever growing list.
Top boss Nirad Solanki chatted with the Buxton Advertiser before the deal was signed off completely and explained why the new purchase is so important.
“I’m really excited about this one.
“This one is a step to the side but it is still in the hospitality and leisure sector and I’m excited to create a new brand and give back to the community by providing gym memberships and sports hire that are affordable.”
The two-acre site on Trenchard Drive has had a bumpy past with several relaunches and then problems with previous tenants, Nirad said.
Now Solanki Holdings has secured control and ownership of the site from existing stakeholders ensuring it remains a long-term community sports and fitness destination for generations to come and will now be known as Buxton Sports and Fitness Hub.
Nirad said: “The space is there and the clubs and groups are there. It just needs some guidance which we think we can bring to take it to the next level.
“It ticks a lot of boxes for us as it’s in a really great location too, there’s so many new houses being built up on Harpur Hill and there isn’t another gym or sports facility nearby - you have to come into Buxton to get to the nearest one.”
Nirad says the new acquisition will create jobs for the community who will be needed to staff the gym and cafe.
He says when the new sports centre relaunches it will have a brand new gym facility with multi-level memberships, a full-size basketball court hire as well as indoor cricket nets, badminton, table tennis and volleyball.
Nirad says there will be pickleball courts and rock climbing facilities and padel courts will be coming soon.
There will be classes and training sessions too including spin, dance fitness, martial arts programmes as well as pole fitness.
A community-led café, restaurant and bar will also be opening in the centre.
He said: “I want to create a gym that is also special educational needs, neurodivergent and disabled friendly.
“This will be a space for everyone to use as I think that is really important - if you are providing a service for the community it has to be for the whole community.”
He has promised different membership packages as well so the gym is also accessible from a price point of view for customers.
He says his vision for the place is that it is not just a facility, but he is creating a ‘movement for Buxton’.
He added: “This will be a place where people train, families connect, athletes grow and community thrives.”
As the centre will be staying as a sports centre with only internal refurbishments Nirad says he will be hitting the ground running now he has signed the paper and can not wait to get it started.
To stay up to date with the progress follow Solanki Holdings UK & International on Facebook.