Yorkshire gym that was opening during Covid-19 lockdown fined £8,000

Unity Fitness, based on Edderthorpe Street just outside Bradford city centre, had been charged with failing to pay a fine handed out in February when police found the gym to be open during the third national lockdown.

The case was heard at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, although no-one from the gym attended the hearing.

Magistrates were told that at a time when other gym businesses remained shut in line with Government guidelines, this gym remained open.

Announced in early January 2021, the third annual lockdown was in response to rising Covid cases, hospitalisations and deaths across the UK.

Businesses such as gyms were ordered to shut in an attempt to slow infection rates.

But the court heard that this business ignored those rules, and when police attended in February they found four men inside the building, seemingly making use of the gym facilities.

Aneeka Sarwar, prosecuting the case on behalf of Bradford Council, told the court: “The authority was alerted in February that Unity Fitness was continuing to operate.”

Two officers from West Yorkshire Police attended, and found “exercise equipment and four males in a room with bottles of water around the area they were standing”.

She added: “The business should have been closed at this time - this was a clear breach of Covid legislation, and a prohibition notice was served.”

The company was also handed a £2,000 fixed penalty notice, as it was the second time the business had found to be breaching lockdown rules.

Magistrates heard that the fine had not been paid, and there had been no contact from Unity Fitness since court proceedings began, despite them being informed of the case.

Magistrates decided to hear the case in their absence. They fined the company £7,000. They will also have to pay costs of £534 to Bradford Council and a surcharge of £700.

After the case Coun Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council’s executive member for health people and places, said: “During the Covid lockdowns, our businesses and residents played their part in protecting the community during the lockdowns that took place.

“Bradford Council will continue to act on behalf of its residents and ensure those businesses that wilfully ignore Government restrictions, and put their customers at risk, are prosecuted and face the consequences.”