A Trafford gym has been fined and forced to close after being found running a fitness class during the current national lockdown.
Following a number of complaints from members of the public, Greater Manchester Police officers visited ACE Conditioning Manchester – on the Harp Trading Estate in Trafford Park – and found there to be 12 people and the business owner taking part in a group exercise session.
Officers then spoke to people taking part in the class to remind them about the rules for gyms and fitness classes that are in place to stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
The owner of the gym was also subsequently fined £1,000 for continuing to operate.
But according to Trafford Council, the owner of the gym had already been issued a warning about breaking restrictions prior to this incident, and formal action is now being taken to ensure that the business remains closed until permitted to reopen.
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Enforcement officers will continue to monitor the gym and other businesses reported to be operating illegally.
And Trafford Council has insisted it is working with businesses across the borough to assist them in trading within the current restrictions.
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“The council’s enforcement team had worked hard to engage with the gym owner to explain the public health risks of continuing to trade,” revealed Councillor Mike Freeman – Trafford Council’s Executive Member for COVID-19 Recovery and Reform.
“But after this latest breach, we were left with no option but to take action.
“We do appreciate how tough things are in the current climate for some businesses and this is just the second business fine the council has issued since the start of the pandemic, but on this occasion it was necessary [as] the new variant of COVID-19 spreads quickly indoors, and it’s essential that this type of activity is stopped to keep infection numbers under control”.
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He continued: “We also understand people’s need to exercise, and the clear benefits this brings for both physical and mental health during this difficult time [which is why] Trafford’s parks and green spaces remain open.
“We would encourage residents to make use of them to get outside once a day to keep fit and enjoy some fresh air”.
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For the latest information, guidance and support during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the UK, please do refer to official sources at gov.uk/coronavirus.
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Police appeal to find next of kin after man found outside Palace Theatre
Daisy Jackson
Police are trying to track down the family of a man who died after being found unresponsive outside the Palace Theatre in Manchester.
The man, who has now been named as Jonathan Bernard Carroll, was seen outside the city centre theatre at around 6.30am on Tuesday 12 November.
Emergency services rushed to the scene and Mr Carroll was taken to hospital.
Tragically, the 47-year-old passed away a short time later.
A large cordon was in place on Whitworth Street and Oxford Road while police and security attended the incident.
Greater Manchester Police are now appealing to find his next of kin.
It’s believed that he resided in the Salford area of Greater Manchester.
Anyone with any information should contact the Coroner’s Office on 0161 856 1376.
Greater Manchester public urged to help get people ‘off the streets and on their feet’ before Christmas
Emily Sergeant
Locals are being urged to help get hundreds of people “off the streets and back on their feet” this festive season.
As the temperatures told colder by the day, and Christmas creeps closer and closer, Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity is bringing back ‘1000 Beds for Christmas’, and the massively-important initiative is aiming to provide 1,000 nights of accommodation to people at risk of homelessness before the big day arrives.
Forming part of the ongoing ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme, this festive fundraising mission is designed to provide food, shelter, warmth, and dedicated vital wrap-around support for those who need it most.
The charity says it wants to build on the “incredible success of 2023”, which raised more than £55,000 and provided 1,800 nights of accommodation.
Stockport-based property finance specialists, Together – which has supported the campaign for the last two years – has, once again, generously pledged to match every public donation for the first £20,000 raised.
Unfamiliar with the ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme? Since 2017, when rough sleeping peaked, the initiative has helped ensure a significantly-higher rate of reduction in the numbers of people facing a night on streets in Greater Manchester than seen nationally.
The landmark scheme has given people the chance to rebuild their lives, while also giving them access to key services and opportunities that allows them to stay off the streets for good.
Despite the scheme’s recent success, organisations across Greater Manchester are under “a huge amount of pressure” to meet the demand for their services this winter, and given the current economic outlook, household budgets will continue to be squeezed – leaving people on the sharp end of inequality and poverty.
The Manc -
18th February 2021 
