A Community Asset Transfer (CAT) of Ferniegair Hall to the Martial Arts Community Hub was unanimously agreed by the Housing and Technical Resources Committee, for a period of 25 years.

Following a review of its business plan, the South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture Board announced that it could not sustain service delivery from various facilities, and as a consequence, control of Ferniegair Hall was returned to the council.

The hall remained open through support from the council’s Community Fightback Fund which was introduced to support hall transfers to the community.

Trustee of the registered charity that now runs the hall, Karim Belgacem, said: “We are over the moon to have received the full CAT which will secure and protect the hall for all of the amazing, local activities which take place there. 

“Alongside our Cho's Tae Kwon Do and Hibari Kan Judo classes we have maintained a really busy schedule of local community clubs and classes within the space. 

“These include the Christian Spiritualist Church which has used the hall previously for over forty years. Also, we have children’s dance classes, morning fitness bootcamps held by local instructors, Pilates classes and a variety of yoga classes for all age groups. 

“We thank South Lanarkshire Council for all their support during this process and we are extremely excited to see what the future brings for the community of Ferniegair.”

Chair of the council’s Housing and Technical Resources Committee, Councillor Davie McLachlan, said: “It’s great news that the CAT has been agreed and I am sure the club will continue to go from strength to strength, providing a valuable local asset for the community of Ferniegair.

“Karim was kind enough to extend an invitation to me to see the early works carried out and I was impressed not only by the improvements but the enthusiasm he showed in taking on this new venture.”