Covid: Two gyms fined for breaching closure regulations

Platform Gym was one of the two issued with prohibition notices and a £1,000 fine

Two gyms in north Devon have been fined for breaching Covid-19 rules.

Brute Force Bodybuilding Gym in Pilton and Platform Gym in Barnstaple were issued with prohibition notices and each fined £1,000 after visits in January, North Devon Council said.

A number of members of the public were also issued with £200 fixed penalty notices at one gym, it added.

Authorities said they would respond to any breaches, even if they were occurring "out of hours".

'Early hours breaches'

Under current lockdown rules in England, all gyms must remain closed.

Council and police officers visited Brute Force on 25 January and Platform on 29 January "after receiving complaints from members of the public", finding "the gyms were open and customers were present".

Council leader David Worden said such "blatant breaches" put individuals at risk and premises "at risk of enforcement action".

He added: "One of these visits was carried out in the early hours of the morning, so businesses breaking the rules should be warned that our officers are prepared to respond out of hours whenever necessary."

Sgt Noel Bourke, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said the majority of businesses respected regulations but it was "disappointing" gyms were opening, breaching rules "designed to keep people safe".

The council added officers had also visited supermarkets, car showrooms, DIY stores and other large retailers in the area to check they were complying with legislation.

It said nine hand car washes were recently found in breach of regulations.

It said informal action was taken in those cases "as it was believed the breaches were made as a result of a lack of understanding... that only fully automatic car washes can remain open".