Ashington gym Loose Cannons finds its niche

Nov 11 2009 by Karen Dent, The Journal

A MARTIAL arts and boxing fan has brought his own sports together with children’s dance, women’s fitness and a tattoo studio in what he reckons is the only complex of its kind in the North East.

Wayne Rigg set up Loose Cannons in Ashington initially because there was no dedicated club locally for him to train and the idea quickly expanded.

He said: “I’ve trained for years and years in boxing and jiu-jitsu I’ve been involved in those circles before. The people I was training with were having to go to sports centres all over, so I’ve put everyone under one roof.”

The gym also includes Just Dance for children and the United Studios focusing on women’s fitness, plus a tattoo parlour.

Mr Rigg, who works full time for Northumbrian Water and concentrates on Loose Cannons in the evening, is offering training in cage fighting which has become more widely known because of Katie Price’s boyfriend Alex Reid.

“We can offer all the training for that,” said Mr Rigg.

“Cage fighting is a mixture off all different martial arts and boxing all in one. The UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) is actually bigger than boxing in America. We are in the process of being affiliated as a boxing club so we will be able to put on shows.”

He has signed up 120 members for the martial arts and boxing club since opening in September, while the children’s dance and women’s fitness studios have around 80 members each.

However, Mr Rigg has had to do much of the work without support, including putting a second floor into the building.

Although he received a start-up grant, the major funding he was hoping for failed to materialise at the last minute and he was forced to turn to his father to raise the extra cash to get the business up and running.

But he is delighted that the gym, based near the Shades of Green Garden Centre on the North Seaton Industrial Estate, has found its niche.

“I couldn’t have wished for a better start,” said Mr Rigg.