Liverpool gym issued fines for refusing to close under lockdown rules

ARMED police have issued a Liverpool gym owner with a £1,000 fine for refusing to shut following Tier 3 lockdown rules.

Nick Whitcombe defied the newly-imposed lockdown rules and refused to close Bodytech Fitness in Moreton because they ‘won’t have one to come back to’ if he did.

A member of the public noticed that the gym was still open for business and called the police who issued a warning instructing him to close. when he didn’t shut the premises, ‘seven or eight’ armed police officers turned up his gym, demanding that it close or face a fine.

This week, Liverpool – and the neighbouring five boroughs which make up the city region – were put under Tier 3 COVID-19 lockdown.

Mr Whitcombe shared footage of police at his gym saying,  ‘We have just received our first £1,000 fine at Body Tech.

‘After meeting with the police yesterday, they told us we would get a warning first day, then a second warning, £100 fine, £200 fine and so on.

‘They were with us this morning, gave us our warning. Then came back this afternoon, orders from their top boss to issue a fine straight away.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CGVFZ28D2_9/

‘So, they’ve told us ‘close immediately’ or I’ll take a £1,000 fine.

‘Obviously, we still had quite a lot of members training and I said to the officers, ‘I’m not asking anyone to leave. Even if I am I’m going to let them finish their sessions first’.

‘So they’ve issued the fine. The first one’s £1,000. They can come back in three hours and issue £2,000. Three hours after that £4,000.

‘It’s disappointing. They sent out seven or eight firearms officers, what a waste of resources.’

‘If we close our facility we won’t have one to come back to. We will not have a gym to come back to. There will be no business, there will be no gym, there will be no jobs.’