Personal trainers, nannies and even dog walkers could face paying thousands of pounds a year to use public parks for business.
Hammersmith & Fulham council have initiated charges of £350 - £1,200 Personal Trainers and I'm sure that it won't be long until many other boroughs and Councils follow suit.
The council's ruling suggests that anyone making money or conducting business in the park will be charged for its use. The fear is that this could become a national concept of charging for open air natural public facilities. It's another revenue stream for the councils but I ask the question, if all participants pay council tax, why then be charged further costs to utilise something that has essentially already been paid for?
I have utilised public parks to train junior football teams and have often utilised the same facilities for private athletic development sessions to young British athletes. I do not charge or charge very little to cover my expenses. I could be forced to regress from charitable sessions as it would be far from cost effective to continue.
Michael Hainge, of Hammersmith & Fulham parks department, said the council is anxious to use parks to fight obesity, but wanted "to ensure programmes were not simply aimed at those already inclined towards exercise". The council said: "Anyone can use our parks free, including personal trainers. But as soon as personal trainers start making money out of the park, they are running a business and need a licence."
Where does this idea end? If I reply to some work related emails on my phone while in a park, am I technically running a business and should I then technically be charged?
I work on trains, should I pay a premium to use my seat as an office space?
I use the roads to drive to places of work, should I pay a premium to do this as I'm running a business?
I pay my Income Tax, Business Rates, Fuel Duty, Road Tax and Council Tax.
Is it fair that I pay for public facilities, again...?
It´s not as if parks are saturated with personal trainers. It may make the council money but it hurts small business. Also, how many people would be out there exercising without a trainer?
The PCT figures published for the first time by the DoH set out the cost of diseases related to being overweight or obese in 2007 and how much it will cost at local level in 2015 if we take no action.
It is estimated that the cost to the NHS in England of obesity in 2007 was £4.2 billion and would rise to £6.3 billion in 2015.
Start charging people for abusing the health service and I will happily pay to use a public park...
