A BOXING club that has produced a number of Scottish champions and honed the skills of a county professional has been forced to shut its doors after failing to find a replacement venue for its long-time home.

East Lothian Boxing Club has been forced to close after being left without a home.

The club, launched in 2010 by Callum Colquhoun, had rented two units at Cheviot House on Haddington’s Mill Wynd but those are now being used as offices by Haddington Care Home.

Mr Colquhoun told the Courier he was “absolutely gutted” that the club – which won Scottish Club of the Year 2012-2013 at the Amateur Boxing Scotland Awards – had been forced to close.

He said: “We looked at getting two units at Millfield but that wasn’t feasible and then we were hoping there would be an extension to the pavilion at Neilson Park but that’s not going to happen.

“It is really disappointing we’ve had to close.”

While the club’s name was county-wide, Mr Colquhoun, who works for East Lothian Council as a senior community warden, insisted the venue had needed to be in Haddington.

He added: “Most of our coaches and boxers were from Haddington so we really needed somewhere in Haddington.

“There just isn’t anywhere available unfortunately.”

The club had 16 registered fighters while about 30 others attended training sessions and a further 15 attended fitness classes there, run by professional boxer Iain Trotter.

Middlweight pro Trotter, who is from Haddington and trained at the club in his amateur days, said it was “really sad” news.

He told the Courier: “It was the heartbeat of the town at one point, with people from all walks of life coming to box or keep fit.

“It trained many champions and gave me amazing memories, meeting some incredible people and helping make me who I am today.”

Trotter hoped to see the club re-open at a new venue soon.