Boscombe beach business owner told to move exercise frame

Kevin Hubble, owner of Three Sixty Fitness, was told by the council he would need to move his TRX frame, a piece of suspension weight training equipment, from its spot on Boscombe beach, when his second six month trial comes to an end at the end of March.

He said he was told last October that BCP Council would put together a tender agreement and he could sign a tender to remain there for three years.

However, he was then told that he would not be given that option.

A BCP Council spokesperson said “future operations are being evaluated” for the site once his temporary contract expires on March 31.

Mr Hubble said he has done everything the council asked and cannot understand why it has decided not to give him the opportunity to stay.

“They turned around and said no, we’re not extending it, flat out,” Mr Hubble said.

“Their argument was they’re doing something at Toft Steps, which is a bit further along the beach, where they’re putting in three containers, where you can lease for a year.

“I said 'But my thing is a beach thing'. That’s why I called it Three Sixty Fitness, because the world is 360, I wanted people to use the world as their playground.”

Mr Hubble was initially granted a six-month trial contract in April last year, and then a second trial to the end of March, whilst the tender agreement was drawn up.

He said he felt “let down” by the council's seafront services department, as he has established a community in Boscombe, which he believes fits into the wider council strategy for community initiatives.

“I tick all these boxes, and I feel let down by seafront services because they are going against what the council are trying to achieve,” Mr Hubble said.

Ward councillor George Farquhar said the case needs to be looked at by the council cabinet member for tourism.

“There seems to be a movement by the current administration to group all of these activities at the Toft Steps, even though it appears that Kevin’s offering has been very good for the local community,” he said.

“From my perspective there hasn’t been the forward thinking that should have been applied to see if that offering could remain there at Boscombe Beach.”

The BCP Council spokesperson said: “The operator has been advised that for a permanent operation, that we have a duty to ensure fairness and transparency in allocating public contracts. It is for this reason that all opportunities identified are offered for open tender.”