Boot camps in parks to be charged fee (From Southend Standard)

Nebs wrote:
I like the idea of charging people to walk their dogs in public parks.

JuliaM wrote:
"If we are being charged, when do you start charging people going for a group jog, or even walking their dogs?” When they manage to get away with this, of course!

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:
Imagine that, Council Group Wardens. Any group of more than five people walking or jogging together incurs a charge. All monitored with CCTV.

Russ13 wrote:

JuliaM wrote:
"If we are being charged, when do you start charging people going for a group jog, or even walking their dogs?” When they manage to get away with this, of course!

Precisely....... a small group of friends decide to take up jogging and use a local park, what is the difference to the park/council if the organiser is being paid or not?

Max Impact wrote:
Yes they should be charged, they are using public land for their own financial gain, any other business has to pay charges, just because these fitness instructors are not based in a shop does not exempt them.

J_blond wrote:
So if I set up a business, and decide to rent a unit, pay the rent on that, the tax on that, then all the bills that goes with, I expect to do so. But I can just pitch up in a public park for free? If you run a business in a public park you should pay. Don't forget, it's the business owner who is paying not the attendees (although the fees may go up) - £150 for a year is not a lot, just over a tenner a month. With no other overheads (except public liability insurance which I am sure all these companies have) then it's hardly a huge dent in profits. For the gentleman interviewed here, it's just an additional two or three people at his boot camps, or an extra quid or two on the cost of attending.

Carnabackable wrote:

Max Impact wrote:
Yes they should be charged, they are using public land for their own financial gain, any other business has to pay charges, just because these fitness instructors are not based in a shop does not exempt them.

Quite right, these wanna be soldiers traing the unfit and obese are charging a small fortune, let them now pay for their use of the parks and open spaces.

perini wrote:

J_blond wrote:
So if I set up a business, and decide to rent a unit, pay the rent on that, the tax on that, then all the bills that goes with, I expect to do so. But I can just pitch up in a public park for free? If you run a business in a public park you should pay. Don't forget, it's the business owner who is paying not the attendees (although the fees may go up) - £150 for a year is not a lot, just over a tenner a month. With no other overheads (except public liability insurance which I am sure all these companies have) then it's hardly a huge dent in profits. For the gentleman interviewed here, it's just an additional two or three people at his boot camps, or an extra quid or two on the cost of attending.

Good point! If the council is charging for using the public parks then presumably they would be responsible for anyone harming themselves whilst using that paid for facility?

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:
Imagine that, Council Group Wardens. Any group of more than five people walking or jogging together incurs a charge. All monitored with CCTV.

Rob777 wrote:
Its 150 quid a year who cares ?

It works out at 40p a day. Lets say the wannna be rambos do two classes a day with four classes on sat & sunday. Thats 18 classes a week, maybe an average of 25 people in each class @ 5 pound so £2250 a week or £117,000 a year. (I would suggest most is not declared in many cases)

No wonder the man said “The fee doesn’t seem too high and I’d be happy to pay it"

Alekhine wrote:
sam1ake I suggest the money is put into a public fund to send fatboy council chiefs to a boot camp. (no sick notes allowed). It has to be a vote winner.

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:

Rob777 wrote:
Its 150 quid a year who cares ?

It works out at 40p a day. Lets say the wannna be rambos do two classes a day with four classes on sat & sunday. Thats 18 classes a week, maybe an average of 25 people in each class @ 5 pound so £2250 a week or £117,000 a year. (I would suggest most is not declared in many cases)

No wonder the man said “The fee doesn’t seem too high and I’d be happy to pay it"

Considering one of the people who runs these exercise classes is reading these comments, that's a bravely libellous thing for you to say.

Rob777 wrote:
Its 150 quid a year who cares ?

It works out at 40p a day. Lets say the wannna be rambos do two classes a day with four classes on sat & sunday. Thats 18 classes a week, maybe an average of 25 people in each class @ 5 pound so £2250 a week or £117,000 a year. (I would suggest most is not declared in many cases)

No wonder the man said “The fee doesn’t seem too high and I’d be happy to pay it"

sam1ake wrote:

Rob777 wrote:
Its 150 quid a year who cares ?

It works out at 40p a day. Lets say the wannna be rambos do two classes a day with four classes on sat & sunday. Thats 18 classes a week, maybe an average of 25 people in each class @ 5 pound so £2250 a week or £117,000 a year. (I would suggest most is not declared in many cases)

No wonder the man said “The fee doesn’t seem too high and I’d be happy to pay it"

If only things worked out in real life like you had just worked out on paper Rob, everyone would be doing it! If I had left the army for £117,000 a year this 'wanna be rambo' certainly would not be complaining about £150 a year. I was questioning where/what is the money going on.

Sincerely this 'wanna be rambo'
7 years in the Parachute regiment do your research buddy

whataday wrote:
Its about time these councils provided the exercise apparatus for adults in the parks. These are provided free by councils in other countries. Thought there was supposed to be some government health initiatives to combat obesity so how about providing something (as pointed out by posters above we've paid our taxes, council taxes etc.)

jayman wrote:
not enforceable, costly to control.

A desperate act by a council that's out of touch.

not a good week/month for the councils thinking department is it?

Max Impact wrote:

jayman wrote:
not enforceable, costly to control.

A desperate act by a council that's out of touch.

not a good week/month for the councils thinking department is it?

Why should a private individual gain financially from the park when gyms have to pay rates/rents etc:

So it would not bother you if I was to set up a fit camp and take 100+ people in the park at a time and charge them £100 per session, cut the grass up with tyre towing and studded runnign shoes and not pay a penny extra.

I might not get back too you soon as I'm off to Garove Island in the Bismarck Sea for some wreck diving.

Love it out there.

Southend65 wrote:
Can't help thinking that the council have got this all wrong.

If people such as sam1ake have the get up and go to try and start such initiative, with all of the health benefits that it brings, should we not be encouraging them rather than penalising them?

I have no qualm with a drooling over bunch of fit birds bouncing up and down whilst I'm munching on my picnic.

Keep up the good work :3)

Eric Whim wrote:

Carnabackable wrote:

Max Impact wrote:
Yes they should be charged, they are using public land for their own financial gain, any other business has to pay charges, just because these fitness instructors are not based in a shop does not exempt them.

Quite right, these wanna be soldiers traing the unfit and obese are charging a small fortune, let them now pay for their use of the parks and open spaces.

set up some scales and use a weight related sliding fee scale...

perini wrote:

J_blond wrote:
So if I set up a business, and decide to rent a unit, pay the rent on that, the tax on that, then all the bills that goes with, I expect to do so. But I can just pitch up in a public park for free? If you run a business in a public park you should pay. Don't forget, it's the business owner who is paying not the attendees (although the fees may go up) - £150 for a year is not a lot, just over a tenner a month. With no other overheads (except public liability insurance which I am sure all these companies have) then it's hardly a huge dent in profits. For the gentleman interviewed here, it's just an additional two or three people at his boot camps, or an extra quid or two on the cost of attending.

Good point! If the council is charging for using the public parks then presumably they would be responsible for anyone harming themselves whilst using that paid for facility?

Essex Medja wrote:
Hmmm I am thinking of all the businesses I could set up in our parks and I am gratified that the majority of this site are against charges.
.
A burger stall (guaranteed no horsemeat only cat).
Thai chi classes (should be good for a diversity grant).
Art classes (book early for the nude life session).
Drug dealing (Class B only to keep the old bill happy).
Prostitution (my auntie Lily, rates on request).
Dog walking (the going rate is £12-15 per hour). honest Ikid you not.
.
BTW the wind surfing brigade take over a corner of east beach and a chap runs his training business from there. In fact he has a set of keys fronm the council that open the car park barriers.

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:
If an organisation is putting on a special event, like a fete or festival or concert then yes, charge that organisation. But these Boot camp groups are causing no harm or damage, and they do not prevent others from using those public spaces.

Public parks are called public for a reason. They are paid for by the public through taxation. Charging people for getting off their backsides and getting fit in a public space they have already paid for is plain wrong.

stopmoaning1 wrote:

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:
If an organisation is putting on a special event, like a fete or festival or concert then yes, charge that organisation. But these Boot camp groups are causing no harm or damage, and they do not prevent others from using those public spaces.

Public parks are called public for a reason. They are paid for by the public through taxation. Charging people for getting off their backsides and getting fit in a public space they have already paid for is plain wrong.

READ THE STORY PROPERLY. It's the BUSINESS that will be charged, the customers already pay a fee to the instructor for the session, they are not paying to use the park, they'd pay for the session where ever it was held. If the instructor had to rent a hall, people would still pay them the fee. By using the park, the instructor is using FOR FREE facilities that you and I are paying for in our Council Tax, but can't use while they are there with their class.

Max Impact wrote:
The floor of Heathrow is cold and hard, flight was canx on Saturday, but today's is on... However the connecting flight I was booked on went when it was due to depart, no more free seats for six days so it's snowy Southend for me, still the wife and kids are away so it's slouching and fast food heaven for the next five days :-D prehaps I should sign up to a keep fit scheme!

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:

stopmoaning1 wrote:

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:
If an organisation is putting on a special event, like a fete or festival or concert then yes, charge that organisation. But these Boot camp groups are causing no harm or damage, and they do not prevent others from using those public spaces.

Public parks are called public for a reason. They are paid for by the public through taxation. Charging people for getting off their backsides and getting fit in a public space they have already paid for is plain wrong.

READ THE STORY PROPERLY. It's the BUSINESS that will be charged, the customers already pay a fee to the instructor for the session, they are not paying to use the park, they'd pay for the session where ever it was held. If the instructor had to rent a hall, people would still pay them the fee. By using the park, the instructor is using FOR FREE facilities that you and I are paying for in our Council Tax, but can't use while they are there with their class.

If those fees have to be absorbed into the business then people who pay for the service ARE paying to use the park.


How can you not comprehend that?

sam1ake wrote:

Eric Whim wrote:

Carnabackable wrote:

Max Impact wrote:
Yes they should be charged, they are using public land for their own financial gain, any other business has to pay charges, just because these fitness instructors are not based in a shop does not exempt them.

Quite right, these wanna be soldiers traing the unfit and obese are charging a small fortune, let them now pay for their use of the parks and open spaces.

set up some scales and use a weight related sliding fee scale...

Eric Whim,

'Wannabe soldiers' do your research buddy!! I would love to hear how your qualified to call me a wannabe soldier, Look forward to a response from another arm chair general

:-)

perini wrote:

J_blond wrote:
So if I set up a business, and decide to rent a unit, pay the rent on that, the tax on that, then all the bills that goes with, I expect to do so. But I can just pitch up in a public park for free? If you run a business in a public park you should pay. Don't forget, it's the business owner who is paying not the attendees (although the fees may go up) - £150 for a year is not a lot, just over a tenner a month. With no other overheads (except public liability insurance which I am sure all these companies have) then it's hardly a huge dent in profits. For the gentleman interviewed here, it's just an additional two or three people at his boot camps, or an extra quid or two on the cost of attending.

Good point! If the council is charging for using the public parks then presumably they would be responsible for anyone harming themselves whilst using that paid for facility?

sam1ake wrote:
Hi I am the trainer in the picture above, Like i said i would be more than happy to pay the fee's suggested as long as we see where the money is going, We all pay our council taxes for maintenance of these places. If a trainer pays for usage of a park does that mean they have exclusivity to that park etc, How we they manage and control this from someone like myself who has taken a massive leap from leaving the army to try and do this full time to a part time trainer looking to earn some extra cash will the fee's be the same? I for one make sure that after every session I make a sweep of the whole area i have used and pick up and bottles or rubbish that might have been left behind, Also 9/10 picking up rubbish that has been thrown around by members of the public and picking up their dog's mess lol, All we want to know is what the money is for

Sam Lake
Military bootcamps

Max Impact wrote:
So Castle Point Council want to charge £2500 per year for boot camps to use parks... Anti's do you still think £150 is too much!

Probably...

sam1ake wrote:
Hi I am the trainer in the picture above, Like i said i would be more than happy to pay the fee's suggested as long as we see where the money is going, We all pay our council taxes for maintenance of these places. If a trainer pays for usage of a park does that mean they have exclusivity to that park etc, How we they manage and control this from someone like myself who has taken a massive leap from leaving the army to try and do this full time to a part time trainer looking to earn some extra cash will the fee's be the same? I for one make sure that after every session I make a sweep of the whole area i have used and pick up and bottles or rubbish that might have been left behind, Also 9/10 picking up rubbish that has been thrown around by members of the public and picking up their dog's mess lol, All we want to know is what the money is for Sam Lake Military bootcamps

sam1ake wrote:
Hi I am the trainer in the picture above, Like i said i would be more than happy to pay the fee's suggested as long as we see where the money is going, We all pay our council taxes for maintenance of these places. If a trainer pays for usage of a park does that mean they have exclusivity to that park etc, How we they manage and control this from someone like myself who has taken a massive leap from leaving the army to try and do this full time to a part time trainer looking to earn some extra cash will the fee's be the same? I for one make sure that after every session I make a sweep of the whole area i have used and pick up and bottles or rubbish that might have been left behind, Also 9/10 picking up rubbish that has been thrown around by members of the public and picking up their dog's mess lol, All we want to know is what the money is for

Sam Lake
Military bootcamps