Hartlepool gym owner Eddy Ellwood defends lockdown opening protest that landed him in court
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Eddy Ellwood, who owns Xtreme Fitness on Hartlepool’s Longhill industrial estate, was ordered to close for three months by Teesside Magistrates’ Court following action by Hartlepool Borough Council and the police.
It was after he allowed people to exercise in the gym in breach of all gym closures since January 4.
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Hide AdEddy, 56, accepted the Closure Order, but in an interview with the Mail said his actions were in protest at what he called ‘draconian’ lockdown rules that he believes are causing more damage to people’s mental health than Covid.
He said: “This hasn’t been about money or ego. It has been about protecting the vulnerable.”
Eddy said he has had contact with people struggling with their mental health during the pandemic including being contacted in the early hours.
He added: "Only a small percentage of people come to gyms for the look good factor. A lot have got mental health problems and they need the gym for structure.
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Hide Ad"People who look physically fit, that’s their shield against what’s happening inside.”
Eddy said he has been shocked by the number of deaths across the UK there have been by suicide in people under 40 since the start of the pandemic, and added: "The way I see it, yes we have to look after the vulnerable, the elderly and those at risk. But that shouldn’t penalise the young from living.”
He said he opened the Xtreme Fitness gym for 23 hours a week in protest and used safety measures including hand sanitisers, one-way system and cleaning the equipment after use.
He added: “I had people saying how much of a difference I was making, even going as far as say I’ve saved their lives.”
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Hide AdXtreme Fitness must now stay closed until 4pm on Monday, May 10.
A council spokesman said: “The council fully understands the pressures that the current, and previous, lockdowns are having on the community and that activities, such as exercise, are important for people’s physical and mental health.
"However, preventing the spread of the virus, which has claimed over 100,000 lives in the UK, must be our priority and therefore we will not hesitate to take whatever action is required to protect public health.”