Anger over plans to turn gym into bulk wine store
MORE than 800 people have signed a petition in an attempt to stop a town’s 24-hour gym being turned into a shop selling wine and beer in bulk.
Gym-goers and supporters of Anytime Fitness in Penarth, which is said to have more than 1,000 members, say they have “deep concern and shared dismay regarding the potential closure of our gym and proposed change of use”.
They claim news of the potential closure, before it is planned to be turned into a Majestic Wine store, “is causing great distress within our community”, adding the decision would “have a profound impact on our town”.
The application was submitted by Majestic Wine owner Jason Lowes in early January and seeks to change the ground floor of the Moorwell building at Windsor Road.
The store, which would be one of more than 200 across the UK, would serve “an extensive range of wines, beers and spirits” in bulk. There is already a Majestic Wine store at Cardiff Bay, a short drive from the gym.
At a meeting earlier this month, Penarth Town Council backed the change of use proposal. Vale of Glamorgan Council confirmed the plans have gone out for public consultation.
Despite the interest in the petition from locals, at the town council meeting on February 15, the Penarth Times reports that Councillor Rhiannon Birch told fellow councillors: “This does not make a big difference to the majority of people. Most people do not go to bulk wine sellers and most people do not use that gym.”
Councillor Elliot Penn said he knew “no-one in Penarth who is supportive of this [change]”.
He added Penarth has been earmarked for a “super GP surgery” at the site of the old police station at Windsor Road, and pointed out how ironic it is that a bulk seller of alcohol would be situated opposite.
“I know no-one who is supportive of this,” he said. “I think if the gym can be financially viable it should continue.”
The gym’s financial viability has been a point of discussion in Penarth.
It is the only Anytime Fitness gym in South Wales and one of three in the country. In October, the gym temporarily closed after the landlord changed the locks.
Gym instructors Rae Carpenter, Kurt Andrews, Liam Hatch, Craig Wilcox and James Darlington left a joint message on Instagram describing the closure as “shocking”.
Some of the gym’s members have joined together with a statement accompanying their petition.
The statement reads: “The welcoming atmosphere and camaraderie cultivated by the dedicated staff and fellow members make Anytime Fitness an indispensable resource for those seeking not only to enhance their physical health but also to find comfort and support for their mental and emotional needs. The potential closure of this community hub would undoubtedly leave a profound void, impacting the lives of its members far beyond the realm of traditional gym facilities.
“When the building was originally granted planning permission it was with the understanding that a gym would serve the community’s wellbeing. The approval of this change not only contradicts the initial planning purpose but also poses a direct threat to the livelihoods of the dedicated staff who have made significant contributions to the wellbeing of our community.”