Wednesday January 28th 2026
Hawick Boxing Club
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
Police Scotland is helping a struggling boxing club off the ropes by opening the doors of a Borders station to its members.
There was shock in September last year when Hawick Boxing Club learned of a 60 per cent hike in the rent on its premises in Princes Street.
The club was founded in 1937 and remains a vital community resource attended by 60 youngsters every week, helping improve both their fitness and discipline.
The community has rallied to help the club with fund-raising efforts supported by boxing club members as the search for a new home was launched.
Now Police Scotland has stepped into the breach by allowing the use of its police gym at the town’s Howdenbank station by club members.
A formal planning application for the change of use has now been submitted to Scottish Borders Council.
The gym is to be accessed by the boxing club for training sessions on two evenings mid-week.
A spokesperson for the boxing club said: “Thanks to a generous grant received from the Corra Foundation and our newly formed collaboration with Police Scotland (Scottish Borders), we will be running our junior section training sessions at the police station completely free of charge until the end of June.
“All attendees will need to become members of the club and register with Boxing Scotland.
“This is Hawick Boxing Club working together with Police Scotland Scottish Borders for the good of our community.”
Former Borders police chief and current Hawick & Hermitage independent councillor Watson McAteer, who himself benefited from being a member of the town boxing club, has welcomed the temporary measure, but added: “We still need to find them a permanent home somewhere.”
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