Personal Trainers pay for the park
This blog is more for the personal trainers out there, but I think everyone will find it interesting. In a recent move Hammersmith and Fulham Council in London has decided to introduce a ‘park licence’ which apparently will cost a £350 paid as an annual fee. I have only found this out online. There is plenty of discussion on the web, I have inserted a selected link below.
Online articles indicate that the park licence has been introduced to ensure that trainers have the appropriate qualification and insurance and to ensure Trainers are not getting something for nothing (use of a public park for profit) . Fair enough, I run a professional business here in SW6 and conduct a number of sessions at parks in the Hammersmith and Fulham precinct at Hurlingham, Southpark and Bishops park to name a few. Last week I called the Hammersmith and Fulham council to pay my £350 fee, 6 phone calls and five days later I am yet to speak to somebody who knows anything helpful about this new licence, other than having confirmation that yes it does exist.
I have also read today that the park licence will not apply to dog walkers, I assume it will not apply to day child carers using the park, nor people selling scarfs before the football as I saw yesterday? I am starting to think this may just be an easy way to glean revenue from the obvious businesses in the park, the PT’s.
When I train someone in the park I will arrive at the designated location early to set up. If there is trash around I will pick it up and tidy the space. After all it is important to me that the training session is conducted in a pleasant environment. Once I become a paid ‘licence holder’ I am wondering if the council will be providing more staff to ensure that the space I have paid to use is kept clean, after all is it too much for me to expect a certain level of return for this licence I have purchased? I am also concerned that this licence will be difficult to police. Is it fair for me to have to share the park with another ‘businesses’ who have not paid a licence, i.e a dog walker or another PT?
I do not disagree with the concept of paying for use of a public space when I am generating revenue. I am concerned that this will not be applied fairly, it will be impossible to police and that there is a lack of information provided to those affected. Hammersmith and Fulham council I think you may have jumped the gun a bit too early on this one. Trainers have an invested interest in keeping the parks clean and tidy already, there is already a professional register that anyone can check to see if a personal trainer is properly qualified and insured. I wonder if the price of the ‘park licence’ is going to be worth the cost and headaches of administering it.
Dan
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