World Boxing Organisation (WBO) super featherweight champion in 2007 Alex Arthur joined fellow sporting stars at the new club’s Union Street launch on Friday night.

Arthur, a tough and amiable 36-year-old, told guests: “This club seems like a state of the art training facility to me. When I started out the gyms were real spit and sawdust places, if we wanted a drink of water there was a broken down tap in the corner with no sink.

“When I look at Galashiels Boxing Club it is like the future has arrived, compared to the Leith Victoria Club in Edinburgh where I trained.” He was impressed by the youth section of the club and said: “The young people are much more protected than when I started out, but it is still the best sport in the world for learning discipline and prudency.” A large crowd joined club regulars to witness the opening in the former United Reformed Church premises.

And afterwards Arthur mingled informally with many taking selfies with their hero.

Club president and former Scottish Champion boxer Malky Gowans gave a brief speech introducing Rev Leslie Morrison who formally signed a two year lease of the building on Friday night.

A Red ribbon across the door was cut by United Reformed Church moderator Rev John Humphreys and Alex Arthur.

Rev Morrison, from Glasgow, was very keen to meet the club’s oldest active member 60-year-old Stuart Toolan who had brought about the initial meeting.

Mr Toolan said: “I had joined the club when they were in the Mission Hall and began the search for premises, I remembered this building as I attended a wedding here in 1995.

“It was just standing derelict, I did some investigating and got hold of Rev Morrison’s phone number at the office in Glasgow, “I had to constantly pester them and made at least 20 calls before they started to take me seriously.” Club president Danny Kelly was very pleased with the turnout and said that some new members had been signed up on Friday night.

The opening attracted Rev Elspeth Harley minister of Galashiels Trinity Church who had read about the club in the Border Telegraph.

Rev Harley said: “I think it is good to have community organisations where there is good spirit and if the young members are learning self discipline that is a very useful life skill.” Later Arthur joked with Galashiels champion jockey Ryan Mania about his struggle to maintain a fighting weight when he was contesting major titles. Arthur revealed: “At one amateur bout I was weighed six times during the day to make sure I was on the weight for super featherweight.” Mania, who’s natural weight is 9st 4lbs agreed and said: “I have a constant battle to keep to my weight, I need to lose 6lbs at the moment.”