Fitness classes charged to exercise in parks?
Discussion
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16656288
I don't get it? Why do people have to pay for organised exercise in a park? I thought that was what council tax was for... maintaining public facilities!
Sounds like an excuse to extract money out of a good thing.
I don't get it? Why do people have to pay for organised exercise in a park? I thought that was what council tax was for... maintaining public facilities!
Sounds like an excuse to extract money out of a good thing.
randlemarcus said:
It's free for you to go and exercise in the park.
It's not free for you (or anyone) to make a living by charging others to exercise in the park.
Personal = free, commercial = not.
I understand that, but I still don't get why? Each of those individuals has already contributed to its upkeep (in theory) through council tax so why are they paying again? Unless there's a cost to the council in liability insurance etc, I can't see how it's justified.It's not free for you (or anyone) to make a living by charging others to exercise in the park.
Personal = free, commercial = not.
Simbu said:
I understand that, but I still don't get why? Each of those individuals has already contributed to its upkeep (in theory) through council tax so why are they paying again? Unless there's a cost to the council in liability insurance etc, I can't see how it's justified.
Where would you draw a line? Should someone be able to just rock up with a catering van and sell bacon sandwiches? (serious question before the inevitable "mmm bacon" 
)What if you decide you want to charge £50 an hour teaching people to play Tennis, should you be able to just book the parks Tennis courts all day so no-one else could use them?
Tbh I kind of agree with the "where's the harm" sentiment, but I can also see why they do charge.
paddyhasneeds said:
Where would you draw a line? Should someone be able to just rock up and sell bacon sandwiches? (serious question before the inevitable "mmm bacon" )
What if you decide you want to charge £50 an hour teaching people to play Tennis, should you be able to just book the parks Tennis courts all day so no-one else could use them?
Tbh I kind of agree with the "where's the harm" sentiment, but I can also see why they do charge.
A valid point. It is a difficult one - conversely if I rock up to a park bench every day with a laptop and a mobile and do business sat there, the council aren't going to realistically be able to charge me.)What if you decide you want to charge £50 an hour teaching people to play Tennis, should you be able to just book the parks Tennis courts all day so no-one else could use them?
Tbh I kind of agree with the "where's the harm" sentiment, but I can also see why they do charge.
At first my thoughts would be to draw the line at installing 'equipment' there (like a grill
) but I'm sure there's examples of where that logic might fall down.Simbu said:
A valid point. It is a difficult one - conversely if I rock up to a park bench every day with a laptop and a mobile and do business sat there, the council aren't going to realistically be able to charge me.
At first my thoughts would be to draw the line at installing 'equipment' there (like a grill) but I'm sure there's examples of where that logic might fall down.
You'd like to think that an element of common sense would be applied. For example I don't see the point in charging a professional dog walker because if I'm walking through the park I could just as easily pass a person who has 6 pet dogs - so long as they pick up their sAt first my thoughts would be to draw the line at installing 'equipment' there (like a grill
) but I'm sure there's examples of where that logic might fall down.
t I don't see it as a problem.Ditto the laptop example - it's no different to if you sat there all day looking at Pistonheads and gassing with your friends on the phone.
It does seem different, and I'll admit I can't put my finger on exactly why to say "Instead of buying/renting a location to run my business from, I'll use the local park".
BigBen said:
Our Rugby team has to hire the pitch for training during the week, in exchange we get to use a dark field that anyone else can just use but as we are a group we are charged for the privilege.
Ben
Yes but there is a cost in maintaining the pitch, one assumes the council are marking the pitch cutting etc. Ben
I tend to agree councils shouldn't be charging for this, the space is maintain by everyone for the benefit of everyone. One to one personal fitness tuition isn't going to be taking up park resources.
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