A YOUNG Exeter businessman is determined the city will not miss out on the sporting legacy of the London Olympics.
Ben Cheriton, 25, who runs a successful recruitment business in the city, was worried that little seemed to be being done to help the scores of sporting clubs in and around Exeter.
So he decided to do something about it himself – in the shape of the 1,600 square metre Exeter Sports Academy which has just opened off Marsh Green Road West, Marsh Barton.
He attracted investors who came up with the £250,000 needed for the new centre which boasts a high specification, four inch deep "elastic" floor, believed to be the only one of its kind in the area.
Mr Cheriton was aware of the difficulties facing sporting clubs trying to find suitable and stable premises as a result of running the successful Exeter Eagles tae kwon do club.
He said: "We have done considerable market research which shows that there are hundreds of sports clubs booking places with more on the waiting list.
"This sports academy is something that Exeter is crying out for. There was a lot of talk after the Olympics about a sporting legacy but it did not seem as if Exeter reacted.
"For instance the tae kwon do club expanded from 30 to 150 members and simply outgrew its premises, and I had problems finding facilities. Something had to be done."
Among those delighted by the new academy are Exeter Street Motion Freerunners, who have chosen it as their new base.
Dom Rott is the man behind the group which was set up initially at St Luke's with the freerunning basics being learned and refined in the gym and the full freedom expressed in public open spaces.
Before the Marsh Barton move, classes had almost reached full capacity but a chance meeting with Dan Pulsford, sport maker at Exeter College, put Dom in touch with Mr Cheriton.
The Exeter Street Motion Freerunners hold classes from 6pm to 9pm, Tuesday to Friday, and also a 5pm to 6pm class on a Wednesday specifically aimed at younger participants aged four to seven.
