Devastating aftermath of fire at site next to former Don Styler's revealed in shocking images

A huge plume of smoke could be spotted for miles after a fire broke out at the site of the old 'Don Styler's Physical Training Centre' in Monks Walk, near Heritage Way with much of the surrounding woodland also catching fire.

Emergency services were called shortly after 6pm yesterday (Sunday, August 24) - with eyewitness reports of local youths seen running away from the scene of the fire believed to be in what many will remember was referred to ‘the end building’ when the much-loved gym was operating.

A statement from Hampshire Fire and Rescue last night added: “Firefighters from Gosport, Cosham and Portchester were called to a derelict building fire on Monks Walk shortly after 6pm.

“The one storey building was fully involved in the blaze when crews first arrived on scene.

“Wearing breathing apparatus and using hose reel jets, firefighters were able to stop the fire before damping down the scene.

“The building, which was destroyed, will be re-inspected later this evening to check for remaining signs of fire.”

Firefighters left the scene just after 9pm, and the fire service has said that the cause of the fire is currently unknown.

As previously reported by The News, the buildings and land that used to be a gym, youth hostel and smallpox hospital was expected to be sold to the Ministry of Defence and the land cleared to prevent anti-social behaviour at the 0.73-hectare site.

The lease was held by the same family from 1962 until early 2024. The contract ended and lease forfeited in February last year after guns and drugs had been found at the gym the previous year, an officer’s report for a Gosport Borough Council policy and organisation board meeting said.

The site, next to MoD land, has seen anti-social behaviour since becoming vacant and security will now be managed by the MoD which should reduce the opportunities for criminal behaviour, said the council report.