STH Wellbeing Centre launches in St Helens town centre

Ellis McCarthy has taken over the basement at the Barrow Arcade site, on Claughton Street, in St Helens town centre.

The area has been transformed into STH Wellbeing Centre, with facilities including a Thai boxing gym and hot yoga area.

K-1 Dutch-style kickboxing, boxing, personal training and one-to-one sessions are among the venue's offerings.

Ellis said it has taken a "lot of hard work" and "late nights" to get the venue ready over the past few months but believes it will offer something “different” to benefit the community.

The centre has launched on Claughton Street

Thai boxing runs in the family for Ellis, who has been involved in the sport since the age of six.

His mum and stepdad owned a gym, St Helens Thai Boxing, in Peasley Cross, and he then opened up his own gym on Merton Bank in 2022.

Dad-of-one Ellis has now embarked on his next step with his new premises in the town centre.

The Thai boxing gym

He said the facility will cater for the whole community, and there will be ladies-only classes, junior classes, hot yoga, as well as the weights area.

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The Thai boxing facility has already been in operation with the yoga now set to launch and Ellis hopes the venue can have a real positive impact on people's mental wellbeing as well as physical, to help the community.

The Thai boxing gym has launched

"People have loved the Thai boxing, and it's a nice modern gym," said Ellis, from Thatto Heath.

"I just want to help people. Obviously, it is a business but it is more than that, we could open anything but we want to help people."

Ellis said going on a retreat in Mexico with his girlfriend, during which they met a shaman had "changed" his life and he returned wanting to help others.

The yoga studio

Ellis, 27, hopes the venue can help have a positive impact on people's lives like Thai boxing had on his own.

"I think St Helens has been in decline and when I was younger I talked it down but now I have got older I am very proud of where I come from.

"It feels like some people are lost. Thai boxing helped me as a child. I don't know where I'd be without it, it has an impact on people's lives."

A changing room at the centre