Home   Dartford   News   Article

Reflexions Gym in West Hill, Dartford, hit with prohibition notice and fined for lockdown breach

A gym manager has branded police overzealous after they dished out fines to himself and two people he claims were trying to fix his roof.

Reflexions Muscle and Fitness Centre in West Hill, Dartford, has also been slapped with a prohibition notice after officers were called to reports a group were working out at the premises.

Reflexions Gym in West Hill Dartford, was hit with a prohibition notice earlier this month
Reflexions Gym in West Hill Dartford, was hit with a prohibition notice earlier this month

It is claimed officers discovered a number of men inside training, one of them being the manager.

But the gym's boss has denied any such activity and says it remained closed with just himself and two workmen present discussing maintenance issues.

He claims they had just popped inside to arrange payment for the repair of a leaky roof when the police arrived.

The three men were issued with fixed penalty notices of £200 each for breaching Covid regulations following the lockdown visit on January 18.

An Environmental Health investigation was carried out and the gym was later issued with a prohibition notice requiring the owner to cease operating immediately.

Gyms are not allowed to open until at least April Picture: PA/Tim Goode
Gyms are not allowed to open until at least April Picture: PA/Tim Goode

The penalty for non-compliance is either a fixed penalty notice for the business, or prosecution leading to a fine or summary conviction.

But the gym's manager believes they have fallen victim of overzealous enforcement and intends to appeal the decision.

Matt Hilliker, who runs the West Hill fitness suite, said: "We were not open as usual. Some work had to be done on a leaky roof and the gentleman who done it came to pick up the money.

"That is when the police turned up. So the gym was not open, there was not any training."

He added: "If they [the police] had come five minutes later we would have been up on the roof."

The gym boss believes the call to the police may have come from neighbours in apartments upstairs who had mistaken the sounds as gym-goers.

Mr Hilliker insisted there was no gym activity and that they have been "shut down for months".

The Dartford manager recalled a separate incident during the first lockdown in April when police were also called.

On that occasion he explained they were painting the premises and the officer left satisfied no breaches had occurred.

"The police are between a rock and a hard place," he added. "I feel sorry for them some time but at the same time they are bit too harsh with the penalties they dish out."

During the pandemic Dartford council has worked with police to enforce and uphold lockdown rules.

In this time it says the majority of businesses it inspected were "doing the right thing" and had introduced measures to keep staff and customers safe.

Dartford council Jeremy Kite labelled breaches a "kick in the teeth" to those abiding by the rules. Picture: Steve Crispe
Dartford council Jeremy Kite labelled breaches a "kick in the teeth" to those abiding by the rules. Picture: Steve Crispe

The authority says it has also provided support to businesses throughout the pandemic including guidance on adhering to Covid regulations.

It added in most cases, even where a complaint or inspection has disclosed a breach, businesses have responded quickly and positively to put things right.

Dartford council leader Cllr Jeremy Kite described breaches as a "kick in the teeth" for those abiding by the rules.

He said: “Bringing down the transmission of Covid requires everyone to play their part, and breaches of the regulations are not only unfair to the huge majority of people who stick to the rules but also present a real transmission risk.

"There really is no excuse for businesses like these to feel that the rules don’t apply to them.

Cllr Kite added: "It has been widely publicised in the media that indoor gyms must close until the restrictions on business are lifted, and breaking the rules is a kick in the teeth for all those law-abiding gyms, clubs, and fitness businesses that are doing the right thing.”

Mr Hilliker believes gyms have been the victim of "negative press" and other stories where businesses have incorrectly cited passages from the rights charter, the Magna Carta, to bypass restrictions.

He added: "Because of all that I think they are being a bit harsh on gyms this time around."

Under Prime Minister Boris Johnson's four-step plan to ease England's lockdown, which was unveiled on Monday, gyms could reopen on April 12.

Read more: All the latest news from Dartford

Close This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies.Learn More