Council confirms Hartlepool gym taken to court for lockdown breaches can reopen from April 12 in line with Government date

A Hartlepool gym ordered to close for three months for breaking lockdown rules may reopen sooner after the Government announced its road map to normality.
Xtreme Fitness Gym, on the Vue Business Park, Hartlepool.Xtreme Fitness Gym, on the Vue Business Park, Hartlepool.
Xtreme Fitness Gym, on the Vue Business Park, Hartlepool.

Xtreme Fitness, in Ladysmith Street, owned by former Mr Universe Eddy Ellwood, was issued with the closure order by a district judge at Teesside Magistrates Court earlier this month.

It followed action by Hartlepool Borough Council and Cleveland Police for allowing people to exercise despite gyms nationwide being told to close under the third lockdown announced on January 4.

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But following Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announcement this week that gyms may reopen from Monday, April 12 – providing the virus continues to be brought under control – Hartlepool council has confirmed this also applies to Xtreme Fitness.

Eddy Ellwood outside the family's gym in Horden.Eddy Ellwood outside the family's gym in Horden.
Eddy Ellwood outside the family's gym in Horden.

A spokesman for Hartlepool Borough Council said: “The court made a closure order in relation to Xtreme Fitness for three months or whenever the Government allowed gyms to reopen, whichever was sooner.

"As it stands this would mean Xtreme Fitness being allowed to reopen on April 12.”

In applying for the court order, the council said it was necessary to protect public safety after Mr Ellwood allowed people to use the gym as a protest at the lockdown rules.

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Speaking outside of court at the time Mr Ellwood said: “The whole reason for today was to show our objection to the draconian rules being imposed for myself and others who are defending the vulnerable, those with mental illness, those who see the gym as their escape and relief for their every day struggles and anxieties and negative impulses.

"The gym is their social worker, the gym is their mental health nurse and the gym is their comfort blanket in a time of darkness.

"And we were just there to help those in the darkness.”

But Ellwoods Gym in Horden, which is run by Mr Ellwood’s brother Karl on behalf of their father, must stay shut until May 17.

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Again, the gym had allowed people to exercise in what the family said was a peaceful protest.

But district judge Helen Cousins said: “They have travelled to the gym, they were mixing with each other, they potentially took the virus in and took it out again.”

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