Wigan gym boss says he is allowed to remain open for children during lockdown

A Wigan gym boss says he is breaking no law by continuing to remain open for children during the lockdown.
Kevin HarperKevin Harper
Kevin Harper

Majestic Gym boss Kevin Harper said that legislation allows for him to keep the gym open to hold indoor sessions for anyone under 18.

Mr Harper said that under the legislation, adult members now are not allowed to attend the gym.

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Instead, he has been doing virtual sessions with adult members, as well as continuing to hold classes for under 18s in the gym.

Inside Majestic GymInside Majestic Gym
Inside Majestic Gym

He said Wigan Council and police visited the gym on Friday evening confirming the legislation and advising him they could stay open.

He said: "Everything we're doing is within the law and is 100 per cent legal.

"Children can continue to exercise and I offer children's classes.

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"Adult members aren't allowed in the gym now, however I have a legal obligation to my members, so I've been holding small virtual group sessions for them

"Under the coronavirus act, I'm allowed to film and am continuing to film sessions, because I've got a legal contractual obligation to my members. I'm also allowed to stay open by law for children and at no point have I broken the law or remotely broken the law. "

Mr Harper said that before Friday evening, there was no legislation stopping him having adult members attending the gym.

He said: "I was advised that legislation had come into place on Friday evening allowing for gyms like us to stay open for all indoor based sessions and for things such as dance and gymnastics.

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"I was also told that adults over that age would not be able to carry on coming to the gym, so this is when I've started doing the virtual sessions..

"There was no legislation before that.

"My gym is a members only gym, so random members of the public can't just come in."

Sessions for children at the gym will see him offer Tiny Thai, Junior Thai, Advanced Thai and ABA Boxing this evening (November 9). While he said he has spent around six hours at the gym filming sessions for members.

For the next month, he said he will be producing more clips but that full workouts are only available for members in the private members group.

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Mr Harper went onto talk about the positive impact gyms can have on mental health and said they shouldn't have to close for adults.

He said: "It's pathetic that the legislation means gyms such as mine have to close for adults when takeaways with zero hygiene ratings are okay to stay open.

"Gyms are the second lowest activity for coronavirus transmission in the UK and then there's there's the physical, mental and social welbeing aspect to keeping them open.

He added: "I know a lot of members that are really struggling and I have a moral obligation to them."

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A Wigan Council spokesperson said licensing officers and Greater Manchester Police visited the gym last week.

The spokesman said: “Whilst the regulations state quite clearly that gyms must close, they also contain a number of exceptions, one of which is that they do not prevent the use of indoor gyms for supervised activities for children.

“We are seeking clarity from government in relation to this exception.”

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: "Following reports of non-compliance with Covid-19 restrictions by a gym in the Wigan area, officers attended to engage with staff; explain the restrictions and encourage compliance. GMP is now supporting the local authority, which leads on enforcement relating to businesses."

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