This article has been updated to include comments from Ozone
A BOXING club, set up to raise funds for veteran charities, has accused the owners of an ice rink of ousting them from their own gym.
Boxing For Veterans (BFV) has been based at Ozone Ice Rink in Bracknell since August.
However, following a dispute, they have been forced to put their equipment into storage and stop their fundraising efforts.
Clinton Montague, co-owner of BFV, said: “They [Ozone] should be ashamed of themselves, ripping off a Community Interest Company (CIC).”
According to the owners of BFV, Ozone invited the CIC to set up a fully equipped fitness centre and boxing gym in two empty rooms at the ice rink facility.
A verbal agreement was made between the two parties that BFV would not pay rent for the space, but would split any revenue received from its members.
The owners of BFV say they then paid for, and installed, all the gym equipment and, in return for a long-term agreement, also paid, supplied and fitted two new shower and toilet facilities.
Following the official open day on Monday, August 1, attended by the town mayor and James Sunderland, Conservative MP for Bracknell, a draft agreement was written but never signed.
The owners of BFV said the facilities received praise from Ozone and visitors but as time progressed, Ozone “pulled the plug” due to “the way the gym was being operated”.
After multiple meetings between the two parties, the BFV owners said they offered the gym to Ozone “at cost”, in return for remaining onsite as a boxing club.
This was refused and BFV were asked to remove the gym but leave the showers and toilets, which Ozone would pay for.
The owners of BFV have said they are yet to receive payment for the facilities and have commenced legal proceedings by submitting a county court claim for the costs incurred.
Terry Reed, also co-owner of BFV, said he has put his “heart and soul into creating BFV and is not only devastated but disgusted with Ozone”.
BFV was scheduled to hold its eighth charity boxing event this month to raise funds for veteran charities.
However, the event has been cancelled due to a lack of income and the closure of the gym which has left boxers without any training facilities.
A spokesperson has provided the below statement on behalf of Ozone:
Ozone is extremely saddened that the relationship with Boxing for Veterans (BFV) did not progress, as anticipated by both parties.
BFV presented a proposal to Ozone to occupy space at the Ice Rink in Bracknell, as the ‘home’ of Boxing for Veterans and to operate a gym and fitness facility.
To support BFV, Ozone committed to paying all utility bills and associated service charges and agreed to accept a non-financial, non-refundable deposit in exchange for a revenue share of the gym sales.
When it became clear BFV were unable to deliver their original proposal, including just 1.6% of their financial forecast, Ozone rink offered an alternative arrangement allowing BFV to retain their ‘home’ at Ozone.
This offer was declined, and BFV were asked to present options that would be acceptable to them.
At this point Ozone raised serious safeguarding issues with BFV, regarding the training of children, which BFV accepted, and agreed to stop all training and classes for minors immediately.
BFV presented five options to Ozone, one of which was to leave the facility at the end of September. In the interest of customer safety, Ozone had no option other than to accept BFV’s offer to leave.
We regularly welcome many groups of young people at Ozone, including SEND’s, disabled athletes and children and adults with limited vision and hearing, and make no apology for taking any actions necessary to ensure customers of Ozone are safe.
We are grateful that schools and charities return to us, demonstrating they are comfortable with our commitment to safeguarding.
We have responded formally to a recent claim from BFV, who believe they are owed money from Ozone.
To date, Ozone has not taken action to recover money from BFV for damage and repairs to the occupied space.
We acknowledge that BFV are a Community Interest Company (CIC), and not a registered charity, or registered with an official body, however we completely respected their intention to support the Veteran community and endeavoured to support them to remain at Ozone, until the relationship became unsustainable.
