News
Greater Manchester gym refuses to close as owner says it’s essential business
Is this the right thing to do?
Fitness For Life on Manchester Road in Bury says it will be staying open during the second national lockdown, despite the new restrictions.
Jayne Deakin, 51, who has worked in the fitness industry for more than two decades believes her business should be classed as essential and therefore able to remain open.
Speaking to the Bury Times, she said: “The only reason I’m doing this is for my members.
“I’m frightened to death, I’m not daft and I know there’s a virus so I’m really worried, but these are the people I get out of bed every day for.
“There’s no logic in shutting a gym – not when I’ve spent thousands of pounds making it covid safe.
“They’re not giving a valid enough reason – how can garden centres, and click and collect alcohol from pubs be essential, but gyms that keep people physically and mentally fit and healthy, and able to fight the virus aren’t?”
Fitness For Life has now been reopen for 110 days and has had no cases linked to the site.
Latest NHS Test and Trace figures (week 43) show that of the 107,046 cases reported in that week, 33,233 had common exposure with another.
From this, the data has calculated 10,036 common locations or settings including restaurants, schools, supermarkets and gyms that were reported.
This data shows that gyms accounted for 2.8% of all common locations reported (based on shared postcode).
This puts gyms behind secondary schools, which takes up 6.8% of all the common locations and supermarkets (11.2%).
The data explains that locations with more visitors are more likely to be identified as common exposures and that no adjustments have been made for how often a common location is visited.
This means that while the data shows that 930 people (2.8%) had visited the gym it doesn’t explain that they caught coronavirus at the gym.
Mrs Deakin added: “These people need that reason to get out of bed in the morning – I’ve got full classes booked all day tomorrow.
“The only people who aren’t coming are people either in the police or married to police officers, or those in the NHS who can’t come because of their jobs.
“For everyone else it’s a lifeline – I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing, if I’ve made the right decision, but I know in my heart I’ve got to do what I believe in.
“It’s not about money, I could shut that door, put my computer on, and teach through Zoom, but it’s not about that.
“It’s been a difficult eight months and now it’s dark, it’s wet, it’s that time of year when depression and anxiety is harder, my members need me.
“It feels so empty, you’ve not got that interaction you just do the class and then you go, there’s just a feeling of loneliness.
“For some of my members I’m the only thing they see in a day, I can’t take that away from them. As long as my members want to come I will try and be there.”
She added that she’s worried about being fined for staying open. Currently, the fines begin at £1,000 for businesses found to be breaking the coronavirus restrictions and double until the fourth offence, when it reaches £10,000.
She added: “I’m 51 years old and I’ve never been in trouble with the police so I’m absolutely terrified.
“I’m scared I’m going to get fined, I can’t pay fines but I’ll find a way to make it work – what else am I going to do, shut my doors?
“I’m not blindly following the rules without reason.
“There’s been a lot of backlash, people telling me I deserve to be fined because I’m breaking the rules but I’m not – I’m making a stand for what I believe in.”
Coronation Street legend Julie Goodyear, who played Bet Lynch, has been diagnosed with dementia, her husband has revealed.
The 81-year-old who played the iconic pub landlady of the Rovers Return on the show sought medical advice after ‘suffering forgetfulness’ but there was now ‘no hope of a reversal in the situation’, her husband Scott Brand said.
He shared news of her diagnosis in a statement, writing: “My darling wife and I have had to come to terms with this heart-breaking diagnosis.
“Unfortunately, Julie has been suffering forgetfulness for some time and we have been seeking medical advice and assistance, but we now know that there is no hope of a reversal in the situation — and that her condition will get progressively, and perhaps speedily, worse.
“We have taken the decision to publicly announce the diagnosis as Julie still loves visiting friends and eating out.
“Inevitably she is recognised, and fans love to meet her – and she them – but she can get confused particularly if she is tired. I hope people will understand.”
Goodyear played the leopard-skin-wearing, big-haired barmaid on the cobbles from 1966 to 2003.
Thanks to Goodyear, Bet Lynch became one of the ITV soap opera’s longest-serving and best-loved characters.
The iconic actress also appeared on reality shows such as Celebrity Big Brother and Celebrity Fit Club.
News
Tragedy as police find body of missing man last seen leaving pub
Police have confirmed the body as being Christopher
Police have confirmed a body has been tragically found in the search for a missing man in Marple.
Christopher Barlow, 31, was last seen shortly after 1am on Sunday, June 4th after leaving the Royal Oak pub in Mellor, Stockport.
He was last sighted turning left to walk along Brabyns Brow from Town Street.
Police officers and specialist teams searched a specific area beside the Peak Forest and remained at the scene after the tragic discovery on Tuesday, June 6th.
Greater Manchester Police have confirmed the body as being Christopher, and his family have been informed. A report is currently being prepared for the Coroner’s Office.
Detective Superintendent Helen Critchley, of GMP’s Stockport district, said: “Firstly, our thoughts are with Chris’s family and friends at this very distressing time.
“I would also like to thank the local community for their support with the search and the wider public for their assistance in sharing our appeal.”
According to The Manchester Evening News, on Monday evening (June 5th) the water search and marine unit, as well as a number of police vehicles and detectives were at the scene.
A large section of the canal was closed off to boats the next day as the search for Christopher continued.
Canal towpaths were also taped off as divers went into the water and officers searched nearby woodland.
News
Man to complete visiting every Wetherspoon pub in Britain and Ireland this week
Now he only has one final pub left to visit
A man will complete his visit to every Wetherspoon pub in Britain and Ireland this week as he sips his final pint to conclude his mission.
Most people like to see how far they can make it in a pub crawl but David Bingham, 60, decided to take it much further than that.
The Derbyshire man, who set out on the task in 2019, will conclude his journey of sipping a pint at all 875 Wetherspoon venues this week, including the 40 that have closed.
Now he only has one final pub left to visit, and he’s booked a flight at the South Terminal in Gatwick Airport in order to tick it off his long list.
The last of the boozers will be The Flying Horse, which is conveniently located right after security at the airport. Wetherspoons has praised his dedication.
Mr Bingham, from West Hallam, has said his other passions are trainspotting and following Burton Albion. He took on the challenge while also pursuing his other hobbies. Mr Bingham told the BBC: “If we were going somewhere new, I’d suss out the Wetherspoons.”
His partner Una Cooper bought him a directory of the pubs and he began ticking them off. “I’ve had a drink in most pubs, I’d say 85%,” he said.
“I’m a lager lad, definitely. The one in Ramsgate [in the Royal Victoria Pavilion] is my favourite because the history behind that building is incredible.
“But there are five police stations, there are churches, there’s chapels, there’s a tram depot, there’s a fire station.
“They just save these fantastic buildings. I love architecture and I love buildings. It’s a history lesson.”
Wetherspoon spokesman, Eddie Gershon, said: “We applaud David Bingham on his outstanding achievement.
“Many people love to visit Wetherspoon pubs across the UK and Ireland, but only a handful have visited each and every one. David will now join that select group.
“He has obviously put in a lot of time and effort into achieving his goal and we thank him for his dedication to our pubs.”
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