A well-known events venue re-opened last week as a wrestling academy for children in Newport.

The Neon in Clarance Place, Newport, re-opened on Wednesday, May 1, after it closed in December.

The venue closed after a warrant from Police discovered a cannabis factory inside the venue.

Now, four months after its closure, the venue has been taken over by the owner of Exposure Wrestling Entertainment Nigel Fleming.

South Wales Argus: The Neon is now re-open as a wrestling academy. Picture: Neil FlemingThe Neon is now re-open as a wrestling academy. Picture: Neil Fleming (Image: Neil Fleming)He told the South Wales Argus that he wanted to save the historic building from ruin and bring something positive back to the city.

“We’ve been running wrestling in Newport for quite some years, and with everything that happened in the neon this year we were already running showrooms there before the incident.” He said.

“When the landlord said he had enough and was ready to say goodbye, I very much wanted to keep it alive as I have a deep amount of love for that building.

“It’s the biggest venue in Newport, and it is one thing that we can be so positive about rather than letting it die off.

"I asked him about moving the Westling Academy into the neon and transforming it into something fresh and doing something with it, so he jumped at it.”

South Wales Argus: Wrestling class at the Neon. Picture: Neil FlemingWrestling class at the Neon. Picture: Neil Fleming (Image: Neil Fleming)Before it became a musical venue in 2016, it used to be an Odeon cinema which closed in 1981 and was due to be demolished before it was designated as a grade II listed building in 1999.

When opening as a live music venue in February 2016, pop sensation and TV personality Peter Andre performed at the Neon.

In the seven years before its closure last year, many artists such as Newport's own Skindred and Geoff Tate performed there.

Now, Exposure Westling Entertainment has moved into the Neon has made it their home and has great plans for its future.

South Wales Argus: Wrestling takes place at the Neon. Picture: Neil FlemingWrestling takes place at the Neon. Picture: Neil Fleming (Image: Neil Fleming)He added: “We have been in the Neon for a week, and I am looking to build it up and make it into something special for children and adults.

“I don’t want to see the venue die, I would personally love the venue back up and running and doing what it does but more for the community. We want to be a hub where everybody can be a part of something.”