OUR HISTORY
Castle Gym Nottingham was founded in 1981 and was purchased from the previous owners by Luke Willmott in 2013. The gym was going to close if it didn’t change hands as the facility was run down, old and deteriorating. Since Luke bought it, it was completely transformed and had over £150k investment into it since the takeover date. This made Castle Gym Nottingham into one of the most modern and forward-thinking hardcore gyms in the local area at the time, whilst retaining its iconic history.
Memberships grew from only 50 to over 400 active members at any one time who came to the gym on a regular basis. With over 250 one-off day sessions being used every month as well, Castle Gym quickly became a household name in Nottingham. Our popularity and brand are so well known that we were considered a destination gym for people travelling to the city, frequently attended by celebrities, fitness enthusiasts, athletes and coaches from across the UK.
Castle Gym Nottingham was always seen as the people's gym. It encompassed high-level professional athletes, bodybuilders, fitness models, personal trainers, daily gym-goers and gym newcomers. Castle Gym Nottingham welcomed anyone wanting to better themselves physically and mentally with open arms.
A key part of the history of Castle Gym Nottingham under the ownership of Luke was the sheer determination to help improve the local community. In the past, the gym offered support to the local community in such areas as mental health awareness, support for the homeless, suicide prevention, youth offender rehabilitation, and donations of healthcare and medical products over the global pandemic.
Whilst there are hundreds of people across Nottingham who will know Luke’s face and name from the battle the gym has been through over the years, there are a select few veterans and legacy members who hold dear another name. Ray Brewin.
Ray had worked at Castle Gym Nottingham for over 40 years! There isn’t a single member of the gym from over the years who wouldn’t know that name. Ray gave 100% to the gym every day, he never gave up and saw the gym win battles time and time again, even when the odds were against us.
Ray always made a point to know every member of the gym by their name and to always ask everyone how they were doing, and he meant it. Some would even say he was the agony aunt of the gym, always there to be an open ear when you needed to confide in someone or have your voice heard through difficult times. There are secrets he has been told that will stay with him to the grave! This is just a slither of why Ray is so loved by the community.
Together, Luke and Ray have battled the elements, the economy, and the pandemic…and they tried to fight the new building owners to save their home as well. That battle is the first one they have ever lost, but…
Little did we know that the journey and hardships had just begun.
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